bring herself to condescend so far there might yet be open
for her a way of escape.

'I shall write and tell Mr Crumb where you are placed.'

'Oh, Mrs Hurtle, don't. What should you write to him for? It ain't
nothing to him.'

'I told him I'd let him know if any steps were taken.'

'You can forget that, Mrs Hurtle. Pray don't write. I don't want him
to know as I'm in service.'

'I must keep my promise. Why shouldn't he know? I don't suppose you
care much now what he hears about you.'

'Yes I do. I wasn't never in service before, and I don't want him to
know.'

'What harm can it do you?'

'Well, I don't want him to know. It's such a come down, Mrs Hurtle.'

'There is nothing to be ashamed of in that. What you have to be
ashamed of is jilting him. It was a bad thing to do;--wasn't it,
Ruby?'

'I didn't mean nothing bad, Mrs Hurtle; only why couldn't he say what
he had to say himself, instead of bringing another to say it for him?
What would you feel, Mrs Hurtle, if a man was to come and say it all
out of another man's mouth?'

'I don't think I should much care if the thing was well said at last.
You know he meant it.'

'Yes;--I did know that.'

'And you know he means it now?'

'I'm not so sure about that. He's gone back to Bungay, and he isn't no
good at writing letters no more than at speaking. Oh,--he'll go and get
somebody else now.'

'Of course he will if he hears nothing about you. I think I'd better
tell him. I know what would happen.'

'What would happen, Mrs Hurtle?'

'He'd be up in town again in half a jiffey to see what sort of a place
you'd got. Now, Ruby, I'll tell you what I'll do, if you'll say the
word. I'll have him up here at once and you shan't go to Mrs
Buggins'.' Ruby dropped her hands and stood still, staring at Mrs
Hurtle. 'I will. But if he comes you mustn't behave this time as you
did before.'

'But I'm to go to Mrs Buggins' to-morrow.'

'We'll send to Mrs Buggins and tell her to get somebody else. You're
breaking your heart about going there;--are you not?'

'I don't like it, Mrs Hurtle.'

'And this man will make you mistress of his house. You say he isn't
good at speaking; but I tell you I never came across an honester man
in the whole course of my life, or one who I think would treat a woman
better. What's the use of a glib tongue if there isn't a heart with
it? What's the use of a lot of tinsel and lacker, if the real metal
isn't there? Sir Felix Carbury could talk