"
I paused, and Aunt Isobel turned round.
"Let us carry your idea well forward, Isobel. Bootjacks and expletives
would no doubt be a relief to the thrower when hurled at servants or
some one who could not (or from principle would not) retaliate, and
the angry feelings that propelled them might be shortened by 'letting
off the steam,' so to speak. But imagine yourself to have thrown a
bootjack at Philip to relieve your feelings, and Philip (to relieve
his) flinging it back at you. This would only give fresh impetus to
_your_ indignation, and whatever you threw next would not be likely to
soothe _his_."
"Please don't!" said I. "Aunt Isobel, I could never throw a hatchet
again."
"You are bold to promise to stop short anywhere when relieving
passionate feelings by indulgence has begun on two sides. And, my
dear, matters are no better where the indulgence is in words instead
of blows. In the very mean and undignified position of abusing those
who cannot return your abuse it might answer; but 'innocent strong
language' would cease to be of any good when it was returned. If to
'Cockatoos and kingfishers! where are my shooting-boots?' an equally
violent voice from below replied, 'Bats and blackbeetles! look for
them yourself!' some stronger vent for the steam of hot temper would
have to be found, and words of any kind would soon cease to relieve
the feelings.
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