feet as does it."

"His feet!" shouted Tom O'Conor.

"Yes; I know it's his feet," said that horrid Tizzy. "He's got on
great thick nailed shoes. It was that that made him tumble down in
the hall."

I glanced at each side of me, and could see that there was a certain
consciousness expressed in the face of each of my two neighbours;--on
Kate's mouth there was decidedly a smile, or rather, perhaps, the
slightest possible inclination that way; whereas on Fanny's part I
thought I saw something like a rising sorrow at my distress. So at
least I flattered myself.

"Send him back into the room immediately," said Tom, who looked at me
as though he had some consciousness that I had introduced all this
confusion into his household. What should I do? Would it not be
best for me to make clean breast of it before them all? But alas! I
lacked the courage.

The coachman went out, and we were left for five minutes without any
servant, and Mr. O'Conor the while became more and more savage. I
attempted to say a word to Fanny, but failed. Vox faucibus haesit.

"I don't think he has got any others," said Tizzy--"at least none
others left."

On the whole I am glad I did not marry into the family, as I could
not have endured that girl to stay in my house as a sister-in-law.