"Than _us!_" said the lady again defiantly. "Unquestionably it is 'than _us!_" "Very well," he replied; "I'm not arguing about it, mater." "_I_ always say 'than us,'" said Sam Walford good-humouredly. "Ain't it right?" "No," said Miss Wix; "of course it isn't, Sam!" "Ridiculous!" declared Mrs. Walford, with asperity. "'Than we' is quite wrong--quite ungrammatical. I don't care who says it isn't--I say it _is_." "A literary man might have been supposed to know," said Miss Wix ironically. "But Humphrey is mistaken too, then?" "What's the difference--what does it matter?" put in Cynthia. "There's nothing to get excited about, mamma." "I'm not in the least excited," said her mother, with a white face; "but I don't accept anybody's contradiction on such a point. I'm not to be convinced to the contrary when I'm sure I'm correct." "Well, let's return to our muttons," said Kent. "Once upon a time there was a nurse, and----" "Oh, you are very funny!" Mrs. Walford exclaimed. "Let me tell you, you don't know anything about it. And as to Emily, I don't take any notice of her at all. She may say what she likes." "What I like is decent English," said Miss Wix, "since you don't mind. This lively conversation must be very good for Cynthia. Humphrey, you're quite a member of the family; you see we're rude to one another in front of you. Isn't it nice?" "I shouldn't come to you to learn politeness, either," retorted Mrs. Walford hotly. "I shouldn't come to you to learn grammar, or politeness either. You're most rude yourself--most ill-bred!" "That'll do--that'll do," said the stock-jobber; "we don't want a row. Damn it! let everybody say what they choose; it ain't a hanging matter, I suppose, if they're wrong!" "I'm _not_ wrong, Sam. Humphrey, just tell me this: Do you say 'than who' or 'than whom'? Now, then!" "You say 'than whom,' but that's the one instance where the comparative does govern the objective in English. And Angus, or Morell, or somebody august, denies that it ought to govern it there." Momentarily she looked disconcerted. Then she said: "All I maintain is that 'than we' is very pedantic in ordinary conversation--very pedantic indeed; and I shall stick to my opinion if you argue for ever. 'Than us' is much more usual, and much more euphonious. I consider it's much more euphonious than the other. I prefer it altogether." Miss Wix gave a sharp little laugh. "You may consider it more euphonious to say 'heggs' and 'happles,' too, but that doesn't make it right." Her sister turned to her wrathfully, and the ensuing passage at arms was terminated by the spinster putting her handkerchief to her eyes and beginning to cry. "I won't be spoken to so," she faltered--"I won't! Oh, I quite understand--I know what it means; but this is the last time I'll be trampled on and insulted--the last time, Sam!"