Her indignation subsided, but her wonderment remained.

To think that William could smile, William in whose thoroughly ironed dignity she had never before detected a wrinkle! Just as she had re-composed herself, they rolled into another unpeopled stretch of the drive.

Again William's vertebrae performed a semicircle and again William smiled.
"Fine night, Matilda," he remarked in a pleasant voice.
Mrs.De Peyster shrank back into the cushions.

She had the presence of mind to nod her head, and William faced about.

To put it temperately, the situation was becoming very trying.