As things were, he must beg to be excused.

But were he to become insistent and ask me to look into the matter for myself, I should beg to be excused.

I am the one who should beg to be excused.”

And if you asked me to describe the viands, or the glorious juiciness of the giant joints, or the supreme immensity of the lofty pudding, I should simply beg to be excused.

But at present, I am afraid, by beginning to talk or correspond with Jenny Lind about this subject, I would do your cause no good, and I therefore beg to be excused.