She performed the duty grimly and I concluded I must have been mistaken about the twinkle . She was certainly very tall and dignified and imposing -- altogether a great-aunt to be respected . Felicity and Cecily took her to the spare room and then left her in the sitting-room while they returned to the kitchen , to discuss the matter in family conclave . `` Well , and what do you think of dear Aunt Eliza ? '' asked Dan . `` S-s-s-sh , '' warned Cecily , with a glance at the half-open hall door . `` Pshaw , '' scoffed Dan , `` she ca n't hear us . There ought to be a law against anyone being as deaf as that . '' `` She 's not so old-looking as I expected , '' said Felix . `` If her hair was n't so white she would n't look much older than your mother . '' `` You do n't have to be very old to be a great-aunt , '' said Cecily . `` Kitty Marr has a great-aunt who is just the same age as her mother . I expect it was burying so many husbands turned her hair white . But Aunt Eliza does n't look just as I expected she would either . '' `` She 's dressed more stylishly than I expected , '' said Felicity . `` I thought she 'd be real old-fashioned , but her clothes are n't too bad at all . '' `` She would n't be bad-looking if ` twere n't for her nose , '' said Peter . `` It 's too long , and crooked besides . '' `` You need n't criticize our relations like that , '' said Felicity tartly . `` Well , are n't you doing it yourselves ? ''
expostulated XXXXX .
Cecily Dan Eliza Felix Marr Peter S-s-s-sh great-aunt left sitting-room