Neither of the two had any idea of separating from the
other for the sake of the old lady's company.
They had before them a journey of thirty miles on one railway, then
a stop of half an hour at the Hinxton junction; and then another
journey of about equal length. In the first hour very little was
said that might not have been said in the presence of Lady
Ushant,--or even of Mrs. Masters. There might be a question whether,
upon the whole, the parrot had not the best of the conversation, as
the bird, which the old lady declared to be the wonder of his
species, repeated the last word of nearly every sentence spoken
either by our friends or by the old lady herself. "Don't you think
you'd be less liable to cold with that window closed?" the old lady
said to Mary. "Cosed,--cosed,--cosed," said the bird, and Morton was
of course constrained to shut the window. "He is a wonderful bird,"
said the old lady. "Wonderful bird;--wonderful bird;--wonderful
bird," said the parrot, who was quite at home with this expression.
"We shall be able to get some lunch at Hinxton," said Reginald.
"Inxton," screamed the bird--"Caw,--caw--caw." "He's worth a deal
of money," said the old lady. "Deal o' money, Deal o' money,"
repeated the bird as he scrambled round the wire cage with a
tremendous noise, to the great triumph of the old lady.
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