"But you just said you took him for a beggar?" replied her mother.
"Oh, don't bother me, don't bother me! my head is all turned upside down.
Do, Esther, go down and let them in--hear how furiously father is knocking!
Oh, go--do go!"
Esther quickly descended and opened the door for Winston and her father;
and whilst the former was having the dust removed and his hat straightened,
Mrs. Ellis came down and was introduced by her husband. She laughingly
apologized for the ludicrous mistake Caddy had made, which afforded great
amusement to all parties, and divers were the jokes perpetrated at her
expense during the remainder of the evening. Her equanimity having been
restored by Winston's assurances that he rather enjoyed the joke than
otherwise--and an opportunity having been afforded her to obliterate the
obnoxious marks from the door-steps--she exhibited great activity in
forwarding all the arrangements for tea.
They sat a long while round the table--much time that, under ordinary
circumstances, would have been given to the demolition of the food before
them, being occupied by the elders of the party in inquiries after mutual
friends, and in relating the many incidents that had occurred since they
last met.
Tea being at length finished, and the things cleared away, Mrs.
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