"Such pretty covers!" said Kate. "It is too bad."
"Yes," said Aunt Jane. "I mean to send them back and have new
leaves put in. These are so wretched, there is not a teakettle
in the land so insignificant that it would boil over them.
Don't let us talk any more about it. Have Philip and Hope gone
out upon the water?"
"Yes, dear," said Kate. "Did Ruth tell you?"
"When did that aimless infant ever tell anything?"
"Then how did you know it?"
"If I waited for knowledge till that sweet-tempered parrot
chose to tell me," Aunt Jane went on, "I should be even more
foolish than I am."
"Then how did you know?"
"Of course I heard the boat hauled down, and of course I knew
that none but lovers would go out just before a thunder-storm.
Then you and Harry came in, and I knew it was the others."
"Aunt Jane," said Kate, "you divine everything: what a brain
you have!"
"Brain! it is nothing but a collection of shreds, like a little
girl's work-basket,--a scrap of blue silk and a bit of white
muslin."
"Now she is fishing for compliments," said Kate, "and she shall
have one. She was very sweet and good to Philip last night."
"I know it," said Aunt Jane, with a groan. "I waked in the
night and thought about it. I was awake a great deal last
night. I have heard cocks crowing all my life, but I never
knew what that creature could accomplish before. So I lay and
thought how good and forgiving I was; it was quite
distressing."
"Remorse?" said Kate.
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