- "Well, but they may be one day filled again," said the baron. "Scolding wives," snarled the genius.
- "Oh! They may be made quiet," said the baron. "Thirteen children," shouted the genius. "Can't all go wrong, surely," said the baron.
- The genius was evidently growing very savage with the baron, for holding these opinions all at once; but he tried to laugh it off,
- and said if he would let him know when he had left off joking, he should feel obliged to him.
- "But I am not joking; I was never farther from it," remonstrated the baron.
- "Well, I am glad to hear that," said the genius, looking very grim, "because a joke, without any figure of speech, is the death of me.
