Aunt Ruyvenaer beckoned to Dorine, who was very fidgety:
“I say, Dorine, does Mamma know about that hor-r-rid article?”
“No, Auntie,” said Dorine, forgetting to say good-evening to Constance. “I kept coming in and looking at the letter-box . . .”
“To-day?” asked Constance.
“Yes.”
“What do you mean, to-day? A week ago, you mean.”
“No, Mamma didn’t see that article last week, but I was afraid about to-day.”
“To-day?”
“Yes, to-day’s article.”
Constance caught Dorine by the arm:
“Is there something in it, to-day?”
“Yes,” Dorine whispered, coldly. “Didn’t you know?”
“Don’t you know, Constance?” asked Auntie Lot.
“No, I haven’t had it . . .”
“So you haven’t read it, Constance?”
“No.”
“Well, it’s just as well, child,” said Auntie, as though relieved. “Better not read it, eh? Hor-rrid article. Scandalous, child, about you. . . . Eh, soedah[1] all those people. . . . And it’s so long ago, you and your husband; and he is your husband now! . . . Eh, what I say is, leave her alone.
- ↑ Enough of, have done with.
