"If I could not give a better reason"-- "It is not my reason, Panoria," Eliza broke in.

"It is Mamma Letitia's; therefore it must be right." "Well, I don't care," Panoria declared; "even if it is your mamma's, it is--but how is it your mamma's ?" she asked, changing protest to inquiry.
"Why, we hear it whenever we do anything," replied Eliza.

"If they wish to stop our play, they say, 'Stop! you will give your uncle the headache.' If we handle anything we should not, they say, 'Hands off! that belongs to your uncle the canon.' If we ask for a peach, they tell us, 'No! it is from the garden of your uncle the canon.' If they give us a hug or a kiss, when we have done well, they say, 'Oh, your uncle the canon will be so pleased with you!' Was I not right?
Is not our uncle the canon beyond all others ?" "Yes; to worry one," declared Panoria rebelliously.

"But why?
Is it because he is canon of the cathedral here at Ajaccio that they are all so afraid of him ?" "Afraid of him!" exclaimed Eliza indignantly.

"Who is afraid of him?
We are not.