"Beautiful! This is a nice piece of
carving — and very old it undoubtedly is. This is the lotus,
Daisy — this stem part of the spoon; and do you see, in the
bowl here is the carving of a lake, with fish in it?"
"Is it?" said Daisy; "and what is a _lotus_, Captain Drummond?"
"If you will put me in mind to-morrow, privately, I will tell
you about it," said he.
"Let me look at that, Captain Drummond," said Mrs. Gary. —
"Why, here's a duck's head at the end of the handle. What a
dear old thing! Who is this Mr. Dinwiddie, pray?"
"The duck's bill makes the spoon, aunt Gary," said Daisy.
"If you asked me _what_ he is, I have told you," said Mrs.
Randolph.
"He is a young man, of good family I believe, spending the
summer with a neighbour of ours who is his relation," Mr.
Randolph answered.
"What is he a fanatic about?"
This question did not get an immediate answer; the
conversation diverged, and it was lost. Daisy's spoon made the
round of the company. It was greatly admired, both from its
oddness and from the beauty of its carving.
"Daisy, I will buy this spoon of you," said her aunt.
Daisy thought not; but she said, "With what, aunt Gary?"
"With anything you please.
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