'
'I hope not indeed,' said Elizabeth; 'pray, did you expect the Bishop
and Clergy, and the whole town of Abbeychurch, St. Mary and St.
Austin, to wait your pleasure and convenience? Anne, did you ever
hear the like? Do you think Prince Rupert himself was ever so
favoured and honoured?
'What do you mean?' said Rupert.
'That you have come a day too late, you idle boy!' said Anne.
'I thought next Tuesday was to have been the day of the
Consecration,' said Rupert.
'Did you never get my letter?' said Anne; 'I wrote to tell you that
the day was altered, and you were to meet us here on the Wednesday.'
'Can I ask you to believe a gentleman's word in opposition to a
lady's?' said Rupert, looking round. 'I did indeed receive a letter
from my amiable sister, full of--let me see--histories of dogs and
cats, and the harvest, and old Dame Philips, and commissions for
pencils, which I will produce if I have not lost the key of my
portmanteau, but not one word of the Consecration.'
'But indeed I wrote a good many words about it,' said Anne; 'have you
the letter, Rupert?'
'Have I the letter?' cried Rupert.
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