and a
candour that was possibly begotten of beer, 'I declare to you there's
times when I do honestly believe as I carry a curse along with me
whenever I visits this 'ere partickler 'ouse! and, though it's agen my
own hinterests, I deem it on'y my dooty, as a honest man, to mention
it!'

Under any other circumstances, the plumber's compliments on her taste
and his lugubrious assumption of character of the Destroying Angel would
have sorely tried, if not completely upset, Ella's gravity; as it was,
she was too wretched to have more than a passing and quite
unappreciative sense of his absurdity. George, having the quality of
mind which makes jokes more readily than sees them, took him quite
seriously.

'Well,' he answered solemnly, 'I hope you won't bring _us_ bad luck, at
all events!'

'_I_ 'ope so, sir, I'm sure. I _'ope_ so. It will not be by any desire
on my part, more partickler when you're just settin' up 'ousekeepin'
with your good lady 'ere. But there's no tellin' in these matters.
That's where it is, you see--there's no tellin'. And, arter all my
experence, with the best intentions in the world, I can't go and
guarantee to you as nothink won't come of it. I wish I could, but, as a
honest man, I can't. If it's to be,' moralised this fatalistic plumber,
'it _is_ to be, and that's all about it, and no hefforts on my part or
yours won't make hany difference, will they, sir?'

'Well, well,' said George, plainly ill at ease, 'that will do, my
friend. Now, Ella, what do you say--shall we go upstairs?'

'Not now,' she gasped, 'let us go away--. Oh, George, take me outside,
please!'

'Dash that confounded fool of a plumber!' said George, irritably, when
they were in the street again; 'wonder if he thinks I'm going to employ
him after that! Not that it isn't all bosh, of course---- Why, Ella,
you're not tired, are you?'

'I--I think I am a little--do you mind if we drive home?'

Ella was very silent during their short drive. When they reached Linden
Gardens she said, 'I think we must say good-bye here, George. I feel as
if I were going to have a headache.'

'You poor little girl!' he said, looking rather crestfallen, for he had
been counting upon going in and being invited to remain for dinner,
'it's been rather too much for you, going over the house and all
that--or was it that beastly plumber with his rigmaroles?'

'It wasn't the plumber,' she said hurriedly, as the door was opened,
'and--good-bye, George.'