'I have the honour,' I began, and found I had the honour to be only exceedingly confused.

With that, I threw myself outright upon her mercy.

'Madam, I must be more frank with you,' I resumed.

'You have already proved your charity and compassion for the French prisoners, I am one of these; and if my appearance be not too much changed, you may even yet recognise in me that _Oddity_ who had the good fortune more than once to make you smile.' Still gazing upon me through her glass, she uttered an uncompromising grunt; and then, turning to her niece--'Flora,' said she, 'how comes he here ?' The culprits poured out for a while an antiphony of explanations, which died out at last in a miserable silence.
'I think at least you might have told your aunt,' she snorted.
'Madam,' I interposed, 'they were about to do so.

It is my fault if it be not done already.