I stammered, I reddened, I longed to be up in my room brushing and curling my hair, and was ready to curtsey to everybody.

Now I'm quite at home, for I've plenty of courage--except about death, and I'm worse about death than I was when I was a simple body with a gawk's "lawks!" in her round eyes and mouth for an egg.

I wonder why that is?
But isn't death horrible?
And skeletons!' The duchess shuddered.
'It depends upon the skeleton,' said Beau Beamish, who had joined the conversation.

'Yours, madam, I would rather not meet, because she would precipitate me into transports of regret for the loss of the flesh.

I have, however, met mine own and had reason for satisfaction with the interview.' 'Your own skeleton, sir!' said the duchess wonderingly and appalled.
'Unmistakably mine.