human
A lady? said Taffy;
gpt
And her mother?
human
I really know very little about her mother, except that she was very handsome, I believe, and of inferior social rank to her husband. She's also dead; she died soon after him.
gpt
What is the young lady, then? An English governess, or something of that sort?
human
Oh, no, no--a--nothing of _that_ sort, said Taffy (and inwardly,
gpt
You coward--you cad of a Scotch thief of a sneak of a Laird--to leave all this to me!
human
What? Has she independent means of her own, then?
gpt
A--not that I know of; I should even say, decidedly not!
human
What _is_ she, then? She's at least respectable, I hope!
gpt
At present she's a--a blanchisseuse de fin--that is considered respectable here.
human
Why, that's a washer-woman, isn't it?
gpt
Well--rather better than that, perhaps--_de fin_, you know!--things are so different in Paris! I don't think you'd say she was very much like a washer-woman--to look at!
human
Is she so good-looking, then?
gpt
Oh yes; extremely so. You may well say that--very beautiful, indeed--about that, at least, there is no doubt whatever!
human
And of unblemished character?