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above their company with reference to the five pupils； and the five
pupils themselves sat in a row with the utmost propriety； each with
her hands crossed on her lap before her。
Of what they were talking at last I became utterly oblivious。 They
had ignored me； going into realms of muslin； questions of maid…
servants； female rights； and cheap under…clothing； and I therefore
had ignored them。 My mind had gone back to Mr。 Horne and his
garments。 While they spoke of their rights； I was thinking of his
wrongs； when they mentioned the price of flannel； I thought of that
of broadcloth。
But of a sudden my attention was arrested。 Miss Macmanus had said
something of the black silks of Antwerp； when Miss Grogram replied
that she had just returned from that city and had there enjoyed a
great success。 My cousin had again asked something about the black
silks； thinking； no doubt； that Miss Grogram had achieved some
bargain； but that lady had soon undeceived her。
〃Oh no；〃 said Miss Grogram； 〃it was at the castle。 We got such
beautiful relics of General Chasse！ Didn't we； Mrs。 Jones？〃
〃Indeed we did；〃 said Mrs。 Jones； bringing out from beneath the
skirts of her dress and ostensibly displaying a large black bag。
〃And I've got such a beautiful needle…case；〃 said the broad…back；
displaying her prize。 〃I've been making it up all the morning。〃
And she handed over the article to Miss Macmanus。
〃And only look at this duck of a pen…wiper；〃 simpered flaxen…hair
No。 2。 〃Only think of wiping one's pens with relics of General
Chasse！〃 and she handed it over to the other Miss Macmanus。
〃And mine's a pin…cushion；〃 said No。 1； exhibiting the trophy。
〃But that's nothing to what I've got；〃 said Miss Grogram。 〃In the
first place； there's a pair of slippers；a beautiful pair；they're
not made up yet； of course； and then〃
The two Misses Macmanus and their five pupils were sitting open…
eared； open…eyed； and open…mouthed。 How all these sombre…looking
articles could be relics of General Chasse did not at first appear
clear to them。
〃What are they； Miss Grogram？〃 said the elder Miss Macmanus； holding
the needle…case in one hand and Mrs。 Jones's bag in the other。 Miss
Macmanus was a strong…minded female； and I reverenced my cousin when
I saw the decided way in which she intended to put down the greedy
arrogance of Miss Grogram。
〃They are relics。〃
〃But where do they come from； Miss Grogram？〃
〃Why； from the castle； to be sure；from General Chasse's own
rooms。〃
〃Did anybody sell them to you？〃
〃No。〃
〃Or give them to you？〃
〃Why； no；at least not exactly give。〃
〃There they were； and she took 'em；〃 said the broad…back。 Oh； what
a look Miss Grogram gave her！ 〃Took them！ of course I took them。
That is； you took them as much as I did。 They were things that we
found lying about。〃
〃What things？〃 asked Miss Macmanus； in a peculiarly strong…minded
tone。
Miss Grogram seemed to be for a moment silenced。 I had been
ignored； as I have said； and my existence forgotten； but now I
observed that the eyes of the culprits were turned towards me；the
eyes； that is； of four of them。 Mrs。 Jones looked at me from
beneath her fan； the two girls glanced at me furtively； and then
their eyes fell to the lowest flounces of their frocks。
Miss Grogram turned her spectacles right upon me； and I fancied that
she nodded her head at me as a sort of answer to Miss Macmanus。 The
five pupils opened their mouths and eyes wider； but she of the broad
back was nothing abashed。 It would have been nothing to her had
there been a dozen gentlemen in the room。 〃We just found a pair of
black。〃 The whole truth was told in the plainest possible
language。
〃Oh； Aunt Sally！〃 〃Aunt Sally； how can you？〃 〃Hold your tongue；
Aunt Sally！〃
〃And then Miss Grogram just cut them up with her scissors；〃
continued Aunt Sally； not a whit abashed； 〃and gave us each a bit；
only she took more than half for herself。〃 It was clear to me that
there had been some quarrel； some delicious quarrel； between Aunt
Sally and Miss Grogram。 Through the whole adventure I had rather
respected Aunt Sally。 〃She took more than half for herself；〃
continued Aunt Sally。 〃She kept all the〃
〃Jemima；〃 said the elder Miss Macmanus； interrupting the speaker and
addressing her sister； 〃it is time； I think； for the young ladies to
retire。 Will you be kind enough to see them to their rooms？〃 The
five pupils thereupon rose from their seatsand courtesied。 They
then left the room in file； the younger Miss Macmanus showing them
the way。
〃But we haven't done any harm； have we？〃 asked Mrs。 Jones； with some
tremulousness in her voice。
〃Well； I don't know；〃 said Miss Macmanus。 〃What I'm thinking of now
is this；to whom； I wonder； did the garments properly belong？ Who
had been the owner and wearer of them？〃
〃Why； General Chasse of course；〃 said Miss Grogram。
〃They were the general's；〃 repeated the two young ladies； blushing；
however； as they alluded to the subject。
〃Well； we thought they were the general's； certainly； and a very
excellent article they were；〃 said Mrs。 Jones。
〃Perhaps they were the butler's？〃 said Aunt Sally。 I certainly had
not given her credit for so much sarcasm。
〃Butler's！〃 exclaimed Miss Grogram； with a toss of her head。
〃Oh； Aunt Sally； Aunt Sally！ how can you？〃 shrieked the two young
ladies。
〃Oh laws！〃 ejaculated Mrs。 Jones。
〃I don't think that they could have belonged to the butler；〃 said
Miss Macmanus； with much authority； 〃seeing that domestics in this
country are never clad in garments of that description； so far my
own observation enables me to speak with certainty。 But it is
equally sure that they were never the property of the general lately
in command at Antwerp。 Generals； when they are in full dress； wear
ornamental lace upon theirtheir regimentals； and when〃 So much
she said； and something more； which it may be unnecessary that I
should repeat； but such were her eloquence and logic that no doubt
would have been left on the mind of any impartial hearer。 If an
argumentative speaker ever proved anything； Miss Macmanus proved
that General Chasse had never been the wearer of the article in
question。
〃But I know very well they were his！〃 said Miss Grogram； who was not
an impartial hearer。 〃Of course they were； whose else's should they
be？〃
〃I'm sure I hope they were his；〃 said one of the young ladies；
almost crying。
〃I wish I'd never taken it；〃 said the other。
〃Dear； dear； dear！〃 said Mrs。 Jones。
〃I'll give you my needle…case； Miss Grogram；〃 said Aunt Sally。
I had sat hitherto silent during the whole scene； meditating how
best I might confound the red…nosed harpy。 Now； I thought； was the
time for me to strike in。
〃I really think； ladies； that there has been some mistake；〃 said I。
〃There has been no mistake at all； sir！〃 said Miss Grogram。
〃Perhaps not；〃 I answered； very mildly； 〃very likely not。 But some
affair of a similar nature was very much talked about in Antwerp
yesterday。〃
〃Oh laws！〃 again ejaculated Mrs。 Jones。
〃The affair I allude to has been talked about a good deal；
certainly；〃 I continued。 〃But