Down went the highest pair of heels , up rose the smokiest gentleman , and carefully cherishing his cigar between his fingers , he advanced with a nod and a countenance expressive of nothing but sleep . Feeling that she must get through the matter somehow , Jo produced her manuscript and , blushing redder and redder with each sentence , blundered out fragments of the little speech carefully prepared for the occasion . `` A friend of mine desired me to offer -- a story -- just as an experiment -- would like your opinion -- be glad to write more if this suits . '' While she blushed and blundered , Mr. Dashwood had taken the manuscript , and was turning over the leaves with a pair of rather dirty fingers , and casting critical glances up and down the neat pages . `` Not a first attempt , I take it ? '' observing that the pages were numbered , covered only on one side , and not tied up with a ribbon -- sure sign of a novice . `` No , sir . She has had some experience , and got a prize for a tale in the Blarneystone Banner . '' `` Oh , did she ? '' and Mr. Dashwood gave Jo a quick look , which seemed to take note of everything she had on , from the bow in her bonnet to the buttons on her boots . `` Well , you can leave it , if you like . We 've more of this sort of thing on hand than we know what to do with at present , but I 'll run my eye over it , and give you an answer next week . '' Now , Jo did not like to leave it , for Mr. Dashwood did n't suit her at all , but , under the circumstances , there was nothing for her to do but bow and walk away , looking particularly tall and dignified , as she was apt to do when nettled or abashed . Just then she was both , for it was perfectly evident from the knowing glances exchanged among the gentlemen that her little fiction of ` my friend ' was considered a good joke , and a laugh , produced by some inaudible remark of the editor , as he closed the door , completed her discomfiture . Half resolving never to return , she went home , and worked off her irritation by stitching pinafores vigorously , and in an hour or two was cool enough to laugh over the scene and long for next week . When she went again , Mr. Dashwood was alone , whereat she rejoiced . Mr. Dashwood was much wider awake than before , which was agreeable , and Mr. Dashwood was not too deeply absorbed in a cigar to remember his manners , so the second interview was much more comfortable than the first . `` We 'll take this -LRB- editors never say I -RRB- , if you do n't object to a few alterations . It 's too long , but omitting the passages I 've marked will make it just the right length , '' he said , in a businesslike tone . Jo hardly knew her own MS. again , so crumpled and underscored were its pages and paragraphs , but feeling as a tender parent might on being asked to cut off her baby 's legs in order that it might fit into a new cradle , she looked at the marked passages and was surprised to find that all the moral reflections -- which she had carefully put in as ballast for much romance -- had been stricken out .
`` But , Sir , I thought every XXXXX should have some sort of a moral , so I took care to have a few of my sinners repent . ''
Mr. cigar feeling laugh manners matter pages sentence sir story