You shall see them; I note the more
remarkable phenomena of society. I am recalling a conversation between
three of our guests this evening, and shall be grateful for your
opinion on it. There! Read it out, please."
Mrs. Luttrell. "We missed you at the archery meeting--ha! ha! ha!"
Mrs. Willis. "Mr. Willis would not let me go--he! he! he!"
Mrs. James. "Well, at all events--he! he!--you will come to the flower
show."
Mrs. Willis. "Oh yes!--he! he!--I am so fond of flowers--ha! ha!"
Mrs. Luttrell. "So am I. I adore them--he! he!"
Mrs. Willis. "How sweetly Miss Malcolm sings--he! he!"
Mrs. Luttrell. "Yes, she shakes like a bird--ha! ha!"
Mrs. James. "A little Scotch accent though--he! he!"
Mrs. Luttrell. "She is Scotch--he! he!" (To John offering her tea.)
"No more, thank you--he! he!"
Mrs. James. "Shall you go the Assize sermon?--ha! ha!"
Mrs. Willis. "Oh, yes--he! he!--the last was very dry--he! he! Who
preaches it this term?--he!"
Mrs. James. "The Bishop--he! he!"
Mrs. Willis. "Then I shall certainly go; he is such a dear
preacher--he! he!"
"Just tell me what is the precise meaning of 'ha! ha!' and what of
'he! he!'"
"The precise meaning? There you puzzle me, uncle."
"I mean, what do you mean by them?"
"Oh, I put 'ha! ha!' when they giggle, and 'he! he!' when they only
chuckle."
"Then this is a caricature, my lady?"
"No, dear, you know I have no satire in me; it is taken down to the
letter, and I fear I must trouble you for the solution.
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