er, and for
you too."

"But you weren't going to marry her. I've told her so all along,
and I've begged her not to do it,--almost on my knees I have; but
she wouldn't be said by me. She never would. She's always been
that wilful that I'd sooner have her away from me than with me.
Though she's a good young woman in the house,--she is, indeed, Mr
Eames,--and there isn't a pair of hands in it that works so hard;
but it was no use my talking."

"I don't think any harm has been done."

"Yes, there has; great harm. It has made the place not respectable.
It's the Lupexes is the worst. There's Miss Spruce, who has been
with me for nine years,--ever since I've had the house,--she's been
telling me this morning that she means to go into the country. It's
all the same thing. I understand it. I can see it. The house isn't
respectable, as it should be; and your mamma, if she were to know
all, would have a right to be angry with me. I did mean to be
respectable, Mr Eames; I did indeed."

"Miss Spruce will think better of it."

"You don't know what I've had to go through. There's none of them
pays, not regular,--only she and you. She's been like the Bank of
England, has Miss Spruce."

"I'm afraid I've not been very regular, Mrs Roper."

"Oh, yes, you have. I don't think of a pound or two more or less at
the end of a quarter, if I'm sure to have it some day. The
butcher,--he understands one's lodgers just as well as I do,--if the
money's really coming, he'll wait; but he won't wait for such as
them Lupexes, whose money's nowhere. And there's Cradell; would you
believe it, that fellow owes me eight-and-twenty pounds!"

"Eight and twenty pounds!"

"Yes, Mr Eames, eight-and-twenty pounds! He's a fool. It's them
Lupexes as have had his money. I know it. He don't talk of paying,
and going away. I shall be just left with him and the Lupexes on my
hands; and then the bailiffs may come and sell every stick about the
place. I won't say nay to them." Then she threw herself into the old
horsehair armchair, and gave way to her womanly sorrow.

"I think I'll go upstairs, and get ready for dinner," said Eames.

"And you must go away when you come back?" said Mrs Roper.

"Well, yes, I'm afraid I must. I meant you to have a month's warning
from to-day. Of course I shall pay for the month."

"I don't want to take any advantage; indeed, I don't. But I do hope
you'll leave your things. You can have them whenever you like. If
Chumpend kn