'No, ma'am;--she ain't nasty,' said the lover. 'But she's crou'll,-- horrid crou'll. It's no more use my going down about meal and pollard, nor business, and she up here with that baro-nite,--no, no more nor nothin'! When I handles it I don't know whether its middlings nor nothin' else. If I was to twist his neck, ma'am, would you take it on yourself to say as I was wrong?'
'I'd sooner hear that you had taken the girl away from him,' said Mrs Hurtle.
'I could pretty well eat him,--that's what I could. Half past eleven; is it? She must come some time, mustn't she?' Mrs Pipkin, who did not want to burn candles all night long, declared that she could give no assurance on that head. If Ruby did come, she should, on that night, be admitted. But Mrs Pipkin thought that it would be better to get up and let her in than to sit up for her. Poor Mr Crumb did not at once take the hint, and remained there for another half-hour, saying little, but waiting with the hope that Ruby might come. But when the clock struck twelve he was told that he must go. Then he slowly collected his limbs and dragged them out of the house.
'That young man is a good fellow,' said Mrs Hurtle as soon as the door was closed.
'A deal too good for Ruby Ruggles,' said Mrs Pipkin. 'And he can maintain a wife. Mr Carbury says as he's as well to do as any tradesman down in them parts.'
Mrs Hurtle disliked the name of Mr Carbury, and took this last statement as no evidence in John Crumb's favour. 'I don't know that I think better of the man for having Mr Carbury's friendship,' she said.
'Mr Carbury ain't any way like his cousin, Mrs Hurtle.'
'I don't think much of any of the Carburys, Mrs Pipkin. It seems to me that everybody here is either too humble or too overbearing. Nobody seems content to stand firm on his own footing and interfere with nobody else.' This was all Greek to poor Mrs Pipkin. 'I suppose we may as well go to bed now. When that girl comes and knocks, of course we must let her in. If I hear her, I'll go down and open the door for her.'
Mrs Pipkin made very many apologies to her lodger for the condition of her household. She would remain up herself to answer the door at the first sound, so that Mrs Hurtle should not be disturbed. She would do her best to prevent any further annoyance. She trusted Mrs Hurtle would see that she was endeavouring to do her duty by the naughty wicked girl. And then she came round to the point of her discourse. She hoped that Mrs Hurtle would not be induced to quit the rooms by these disagreeable occurrences. 'I don't mind saying it now, Mrs Hurtle, but your being here is ever so much to me. I ain't nothing to depend on,--only lodgers, and them as is any good is so hard to get!' The poor woman hardly understood Mrs Hurtle, who, as a lodger, was certainly peculiar. She cared nothing for disturbances, and rather liked than otherwise the task of endeavouring to assist in the salvation of Ruby. Mrs Hurtle begged that Mrs Pipkin would go to bed. She would not be in the least annoyed by the knocking. Another half-hour had thus been passed by the two ladies in the parlour after Crumb's departure. Then Mrs Hurtle took her candle and had ascended the stairs half way to her own sitting-room, when a loud double knock was heard. She immediately joined Mrs Pipkin in the passage. The door was opened, and there stood Ruby Ruggles, John Crumb, and two policemen! Ruby rushed in, and casting herself on to one of the stairs began to throw her hands about, and to howl piteously. 'Laws a mercy; what is it?' asked Mrs Pipkin.