what to do with her sudden animation. It was too late to get back into being an impartial listener, on the verge of going away. She had told everything, without the interesting details. Mrs. Bailey was waiting for them. They were still safe. She might think it was an illness or something about a relative. The only thing to do now was to stay and work off the unexplained animation on anything Mrs. Bailey might choose to say. “Well” said Mrs. Bailey presently, “to return to our friend. What I say is, why doesn’t she go to the clergy, in her own parish?”
“Go on the parish, m’m.”
“Not necessarily on the parish. The clergy’s most helpful and sympathetic. They might tell her of those who would help her.”
“They might. But it’s most awfully difficult. Nobody knows what ought to be done about these things.”
“That is so. But there’s a right and a wrong in everything. There’s plenty of people willing to help those that will help theirselves. But that’s very different to coming into a person’s house to try and get money out of strangers.”
“I say .”
“It is I say . I never felt so ashamed in my life.”
“I say . … Did they tell you?”
“ Mrs. Hurd came to me herself.”
“ Mrs. Hurd. Of course, it would be.”
“My word. I was wild. And them only just come into my house.”
“Yes, of course; I say .”
“Tellin’ them she was ill .”