How are all your people ? '' `` We are all pretty well ; thank you , '' I said , `` except Aunt Tommy . She -- '' I was going to say , `` She cries every night after she goes to bed , '' but I remembered just in time that if I were in Aunt Tommy 's place I would n't want a man to know I cried about him even if I did . So I said instead '' -- she has got a cold . '' `` Ah , indeed , I am sorry to hear it , '' said Dick , politely but coldly , as if it were part of his duty as a minister to be sorry for anybody who had a cold , but as if , apart from that , it was not a concern of his if Aunt Tommy had galloping consumption . `` And Jack and I are terribly harrowed up in our minds , '' I went on . `` That is what I 've come up to see you about . '' `` Well , tell me all about it , '' said Dick . `` I 'm afraid to , '' I said . `` I know you 'll be cross even if you are a minister . It 's about what Jack told you about that man in New York and Aunt Tommy . '' Dick turned as red as fire . `` I 'd rather not discuss your Aunt Bertha 's affairs , '' he said stiffly . `` You must hear this , '' I cried , feeling thankful that Jacky had n't come after all , for he 'd never have got any further ahead after that snub . `` It 's all a mistake . There is a man in New York and he just worships Aunt Tommy and she just adores him . But he 's seventy years old and he 's her Uncle Matthew who brought her up ever since her father died and you 've heard her talking about him a hundred times . That 's all , cross my heart solemn and true . '' You never saw anything like Dick 's face when I stopped . It looked just like a sunrise .
But he said slowly , `` Why did Jacky tell me such a -- tell me it XXXXX such a way ? ''
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