’Mydarlingchild，mydearestniece；howwonderfullywellyoulook!MistressRidd，Igiveyoucredit。Thisisthecountryofgoodthings。IneverwouldhavebelievedourQueencouldhavelookedsoroyal。Surelyofallvirtues，hospitalityisthefinest，andthemostromantic。DearestLorna，kissyouruncle；itisquiteaprivilege。’
’Perhapsitistoyou，sir，’saidLorna，whocouldneverquitecheckhersenseofoddity；’butIfearthatyouhavesmokedtobacco，whichspoilsreciprocity。’
’Youareright，mychild。Howkeenyourscentis!Itisalwayssowithus。Yourgrandfatherwasnotedforhisolfactorypowers。Ah，agreatloss，dearMrs。
Ridd，aterriblelosstothisneighbourhood!Asoneofourgreatwriterssays——IthinkitmustbeMilton——“Wene’ershalllookuponhislikeagain。“’
’Withyourgoodleavesir，’Ibrokein，’MasterMiltoncouldneverhavewrittensosweetandsimplealineasthat。ItisoneofthegreatShakespeare。’