"I was only going to take him away to wash his pretty face, sir, and smooth his hair," answered the woman, in the most insinuating tone in which she had spoken of the water-rate. "You don't see him to any advantage, sir, while his precious face is dirty. I won't be five minutes making him as neat as a new pin."
She had her long, thin arms about the boy as she spoke, and she was evidently going to carry him off bodily, when Robert stopped her.
"I'd rather see him as he is, thank you," he said. "My time in Southampton isn't very long, and I want to hear all that the little man can tell me."
The little man crept closer to Robert, and looked confidingly into the barrister's gray eyes.
"I like you very much," he said. "I was frightened of you when you came before, because I was shy. I am not shy now--I am nearly six years old."
Robert patted the boy's head encouragingly, but he was not looking at little George; he was watching the fair-haired widow, who had moved to the window, and was looking out at the patch of waste ground.
"You're rather fidgety about some one, ma'am, I'm afraid," said Robert.
She colored violently as the barrister made this remark, and answered him in a confused manner.
"I was looking for Mr. Maldon, sir," she said; "he'll be so disappointed if he doesn't see you."
"You know who I am, then?"
"No, sir, but--"
The boy interrupted her by dragging a little jeweled watch from his bosom and showing it to Robert.
"This is the watch the pretty lady gave me," he said. "I've got it now--but I haven't had it long, because the jeweler who cleans it is an idle man, gran'pa says, and always keeps it such a long time; and gran'pa says it will have to be cleaned again, because of the taxes. He always takes it to be cleaned when there's taxes--but he says if he were to lose it the pretty lady would give me another. Do you know the pretty lady?"
"No, Georgey, but tell me about her."
Mrs. Plowson made another descent upon the boy. She was armed with a pocket-handkerchief this time, and displayed great anxiety about the state of little George's nose, but Robert warded off the dreaded weapon, and drew the child away from his tormentor.
"The boy will do very well, ma'am," he said, "if you'll be good enough to let him alone for five minutes. Now, Georgey, suppose you sit on my knee, and tell me all about the pretty lady."