How does the euphemism "otherwise engaged" affect this sentence?

"I'll ask you to excuse the other hand; it's otherwise engaged just at present."

It shows that the speaker is cordial and has good manners.

It highlights that the speaker is too busy to chat with Miss Fairchild.

It indicates that the speaker's hand is busy doing something else.

It suggests that the speaker has a fiancée waiting for him.

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English

5 January, 00:08

How does the euphemism "otherwise engaged" affect this sentence?

"I'll ask you to excuse the other hand; it's otherwise engaged just at present."

It shows that the speaker is cordial and has good manners.

It highlights that the speaker is too busy to chat with Miss Fairchild.

It indicates that the speaker's hand is busy doing something else.

It suggests that the speaker has a fiancée waiting for him.

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Answers (1)

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Butler · Answer 1

It shows that the speaker is cordial and has good manners

Explanation:

The sentence belongs to the story " Hearts and Hands", so the speaker is Mr. Easton. Mr Easton's hand is handcuffed with another man's hand. Both of them are traveling by train and on it, they come across Mis Fairchild. Mis Fairchild is an old acquientance of Mr Easton's; she gets really surprised when she sees him handcuffed. It is then that Mr Easton greets her and says : "I'll ask you to excuse the other hand; it's otherwise engaged just at present." In fact, the man wants to pretend he is not a prisoner, when he truly is.