How is this excerpt an example of irony? The lighthearted and humorous tone of the County Attorney is the opposite of what you would expect during a situation like this. A show of interest in the quilt on the men’s behalf was a sudden twist of what would normally be expected. The County Attorney appeared to be asking a question about the quilt, but he was actually asking another question entirely. It appeared as though Mrs. Hale was answering the question, but she actually meant something quite different with her response.