in a fit of noiseless laughter. The effect, in contrast to her
habitual self-possession, was so strange that Alice almost forgot to
be offended.

"I am glad to see that it is not hard to amuse you," she said.

Lydia waited to recover herself thoroughly, and then replied, "I
have not laughed so three times in my life. Now, Alice, put aside
your resentment of our neighbor's impudence for the moment, and tell
me what you think of him."

"I have not thought about him at all, I assure you," said Alice,
disdainfully.

"Then think about him for a moment to oblige me, and let me know the
result."

"Really, you have had much more opportunity of judging than I. _I_
have hardly spoken to him."

Lydia rose patiently and went to the bookcase. "You have a cousin at
one of the universities, have you not?" she said, seeking along the
shelf for a volume.

"Yes," replied Alice, speaking very sweetly to atone for her want of
amiability on the previous subject.

"Then perhaps you know something of university slang?"

"I never allow him to talk slang to me," said Alice, quickly.