“Silence!” proclaimed Mrs. Wilfer. “I command silence!”

“I have not the slightest intention of being silent, Ma,” returned Lavinia coolly, “but quite the contrary. I am not going to be eyed as if I had come from the Boffins, and sit silent under it. I am not going to have George Sampson eyed as if he had come from the Boffins, and sit silent under it. If Pa thinks proper to be eyed as if he had come from the Boffins also, well and good. I don’t choose to. And I won’t!”

Lavinia’s engineering having made this crooked opening at Bella, Mrs. Wilfer strode into it.