Finn at Saulsby?"
"A Mr. Finn, aunt! Why, he is a particular friend of mine. Of course
I do, and he was at Saulsby. I have met him there more than once.
Don't you remember that we were riding about together?"
"I remember that he was there, certainly; but I did not know that he
was a special--friend."
"Most especial, aunt. A 1, I may say;--among young men, I mean."
Lady Baldock was certainly the most indiscreet of old women in such a
matter as this, and Violet the most provoking of young ladies. Lady
Baldock, believing that there was something to fear,--as, indeed,
there was, much to fear,--should have been content to destroy the
card, and to keep the young lady away from the young gentleman,
if such keeping away was possible to her. But Miss Effingham was
certainly very wrong to speak of any young man as being A 1. Fond as
I am of Miss Effingham, I cannot justify her, and must acknowledge
that she used the most offensive phrase she could find, on purpose to
annoy her aunt.
"Violet," said Lady Baldock, bridling up, "I never heard such a word
before from the lips of a young lady."
"Not as A 1? I thought it simply meant very good."
"A 1 is a nobleman," said Lady Baldock.
"No, aunt;--A 1 is a ship,--a ship that is very good," said Violet.
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