"NOT a party in anything, ma'am?" says Mr. Guppy.
Mrs. Chadband shakes her head.
"Perhaps you were acquainted with somebody who was a party in something, ma'am?" says Mr. Guppy, who likes nothing better than to model his conversation on forensic principles.
"Not exactly that, either," replies Mrs. Chadband, humouring the joke with a hard-favoured smile.

"Perhaps you were acquainted with somebody who was a party in something, ma'am?" says Mr. Guppy.
"Not exactly that, either," replies Mrs. Chadband, with a hard-favoured smile.
