She was quiet, she was sensible, and could talk very gently and confidingly when she chose; she would say just what he told her to say, and if a contingency demanded that she should add anything, she would probably do it very prudently.

But then it would be almost as difficult to communicate with her as with Miss March.
While he was thus thinking, in came the old lady, very cross.

"You didn't get any rubber of whist last night, did you ?" said she, without salutatory preface.

"But I can tell you it wasn't my fault.

I did all that I could, and more than I ought, to make her come, but she just put her foot down and wouldn't stir an inch, and at last I got mad and went to bed.