That hour and twenty minutes went like a flash, for we had so much to
say to each other that we never even got to the things we wanted to
say. For instance, I began to tell her about King Solomon's Mines,
which was a long story; and she to tell me what happened after we
parted on the shores of the Red Sea. At least the first hour and a
quarter went, when suddenly the door opened and Alfred in a somewhat
frightened voice announced--"Mr. and Mrs. Atterby-Smith, the Misses
Atterby-Smith and Mr. Atterby-Smith junior."

Then he caught sight of his mistress's eye and fled.

I looked and felt inclined to do likewise if only there had been
another door. But there wasn't and that which existed was quite full.
In the forefront came A.-S. senior, like a bull leading the herd.
Indeed his appearance was bull-like as my eye, travelling from the
expanse of white shirt-front (they were all dressed for dinner) to his
red and massive countenance surmounted by two horn-like tufts of
carroty hair, informed me at a glance. Followed Mrs. A.-S., the
British matron incarnate. Literally there seemed to be acres of her;
black silk below and white skin above on which set in filigree floated
big green stones, like islands in an ocean. Her countenance too,
though stupid was very stern and frightened me. Followed the progeny
of this formidable pair. They were tall and thin, also red haired. The
girls, whose age I could not guess in the least, were exactly like
each other, which was not strange as afterwards I discovered that they
were twins. They had pale blue eyes and somehow reminded me of fish.
Both of them were dressed in green and wore topaz necklaces. The young
man who seemed to be about one or two and twenty, had also pale blue
eyes, in one of which he wore an eye-glass, but his hair was sandy as