Quabarl regained none of her lost ground. The governess not only helped
herself well and truly to wine, but held forth with considerable show of
critical knowledge on various vintage matters, concerning which the
Quabarls were in no wise able to pose as authorities. Previous
governesses had limited their conversation on the wine topic to a
respectful and doubtless sincere expression of a preference for water.
When this one went as far as to recommend a wine firm in whose hands you
could not go very far wrong Mrs. Quabarl thought it time to turn the
conversation into more usual channels.
"We got very satisfactory references about you from Canon Teep," she
observed; "a very estimable man, I should think."
"Drinks like a fish and beats his wife, otherwise a very lovable
character," said the governess imperturbably.
"_My dear_ Miss Hope! I trust you are exaggerating," exclaimed the
Quabarls in unison.
"One must in justice admit that there is some provocation," continued the
romancer. "Mrs. Teep is quite the most irritating bridge-player that I
have ever sat down with; her leads and declarations would condone a
certain amount of brutality in her partner, but to souse her with the
contents of the only soda-water syphon in the house on a Sunday
afternoon, when one couldn't get another, argues an indifference to the
comfort of others which I cannot altogether overlook. You may think me
hasty in my judgments, but it was practically on account of the syphon
incident that I left.
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