Мидлмарч

           "

           "Letty,Iamashamedofyou,"saidhermother,wringingoutthecapsfromthetub."Whenyourbrotherbegan,yououghttohavewaitedtoseeifhecouldnottellthestory.Howrudeyoulook,pushingandfrowning,asifyouwantedtoconquerwithyourelbows!Cincinnatus,Iamsure,wouldhavebeensorrytoseehisdaughterbehaveso."(Mrs.Garthdeliveredthisawfulsentencewithmuchmajestyofenunciation,andLettyfeltthatbetweenrepressedvolubilityandgeneraldisesteem,thatoftheRomansinclusive,lifewasalreadyapainfulaffair.)"Now,Ben."

           "Well—oh—well—why,therewasagreatdealoffighting,andtheywereallblockheads,and—Ican’ttellitjusthowyoutoldit—buttheywantedamantobecaptainandkingandeverything—"

           "Dictator,now,"saidLetty,withinjuredlooks,andnotwithoutawishtomakehermotherrepent.

           "Verywell,dictator!"saidBen,contemptuously."Butthatisn’tagoodword:hedidn’ttellthemtowriteonslates."

           "Come,come,Ben,youarenotsoignorantasthat,"saidMrs.Garth,carefullyserious."Hark,thereisaknockatthedoor!Run,Letty,andopenit."

           TheknockwasFred’s;andwhenLettysaidthatherfatherwasnotinyet,butthathermotherwasinthekitchen,Fredhadnoalternative.HecouldnotdepartfromhisusualpracticeofgoingtoseeMrs.Garthinthekitchenifshehappenedtobeatworkthere.