Part 127 (1/2)
”Not quite,” said Lois demurely. ”We generally send that on ahead, except what will go in small satchels slung over the shoulder.”
”And take what you can find at the little inns?”
”O yes; and fare very well.”
”I like to be comfortable!” sighed the other lady. ”Try that wine, and see how much better it is.”
”Thank you, no; I prefer the coffee.”
”No use to ask _her_ to take wine,” growled Tom. ”I know she won't. She never would. She has principles. Offer it to Mr. Dillwyn.”
”You do me the honour to suppose me without principles,” said Philip dryly.
”I don't suppose you hold _her_ principles,” said Tom, indicating Lois rather awkwardly by the p.r.o.noun rather than in any more definite way.
”You never used.”
”Quite true; I never used. But I do it now.”
”Do you mean that you have given up drinking wine?”
”I have given it up?” said Philip, smiling at Tom's air, which was almost of consternation.
”Because she don't like it?”
”I hope I would give up a greater thing than that, if she did not like it,” said Philip gravely. ”This seems to me not a great thing. But the reason you suppose is not my reason.”
”If the reason isn't a secret, I wish you'd mention it; Mrs. Caruthers will be asking me in private, by and by; and I do not like her to ask me questions I cannot answer.”
”My reason is,--I think it does more harm than good.”
”Wine?”
”Wine, and its congeners.”
”Take a cup of coffee, Mr. Caruthers,” said Lois; ”and confess it will do instead of the other thing.”
Tom accepted the coffee; I don't think he could have rejected anything she held out to him; but he remarked grumly to Philip, as he took it,--
”It is easy to see where you got your principles!”
”Less easy than you think,” Philip answered. ”I got them from no living man or woman, though I grant you, Lois showed me the way to them. I got them from the Bible, old friend.”
Tom glared at the speaker.
”Have you given up your cigars too?”
Mr. Dillwyn laughed out, and Lois said somewhat exultantly,
”Yes, Mr. Caruthers.”
”I am sure I wish you would too!” said Tom's wife deploringly to her husband. ”I think if anything's horrid, it's the after smell of tobacco.”