"Ihopeyoudon'tmindtheopenwindow,"saidMrs.Sappletonbriskly;"myhusbandandbrotherswillbehomedirectlyfromshooting,andtheyalwayscomeinthisway.They'vebeenoutforsnipeinthemarshestoday,sothey'llmakeafinemessovermypoorcarpets.Solikeyoumenfolk,isn'tit?"
Sherattledoncheerfullyabouttheshootingandthescarcityofbirds,andtheprospectsforduckinthewinter.ToFramtonitwasallpurelyhorrible.Hemadeadesperatebutonlypartiallysuccessfulefforttoturnthetalkontoalessghastlytopic,hewasconsciousthathishostesswasgivinghimonlyafragmentofherattention,andhereyeswereconstantlystrayingpasthimtotheopenwindowandthelawnbeyond.Itwascertainlyanunfortunatecoincidencethatheshouldhavepaidhisvisitonthistragicanniversary.
"Thedoctorsagreeinorderingmecompleterest,anabsenceofmentalexcitement,andavoidanceofanythinginthenatureofviolentphysicalexercise,"announcedFramton,wholaboredunderthetolerablywidespreaddelusionthattotalstrangersandchanceacquaintancesarehungryfortheleastdetailofone'sailmentsandinfirmities,theircauseandcure."Onthematterofdiettheyarenotsomuchinagreement,"hecontinued.
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