Grandma said that she would prefer not to take any part in the
discussion, and everybody suddenly remembered that Mrs. Bird had
thought of naming the baby Lucy, for Grandma herself; and, while
it would be indelicate for her to favor that name, it would be
against human nature for her to suggest any other, under the
circumstances.

Hugh, the "hitherto baby," if that is a possible term, sat in one
corner and said nothing, but felt, in some mysterious way, that
his nose was out of joint; for there was a newer baby now, a
possibility he had never taken into consideration; and the "first
girl," too, a still higher development of treason, which made
him actually green with jealousy.

But it was too profound a subject to be settled then and there,
on the spot; besides, Mama had not been asked, and everybody felt
it rather absurd, after all, to forestall a decree that was
certain to be absolutely wise, just and perfect.

The reason that the subject had been brought up at all so early
in the day lay in the fact that Mrs. Bird never allowed her
babies to go over night unnamed. She was a person of so great
decision of character that she would have blushed at such a
thing; she said that to let blessed babies go dangling and
dawdling about without names, for months and months, was enough
to ruin them for life. She also said that if one could not
make up one's mind in twenty-four hours it was a sign
that--but I will not repeat the rest, as it might prejudice you
against the most charming woman in the world.