For, when they had walked on with her to the little house in the clean village by the paper-mill, where Lizzie had a lodging with an elderly couple employed in the establishment, and when Mrs. Milvey and Bella had been up to see her room and had come down, the mill bell rang. This called Lizzie away for the time, and left the Secretary and Bella standing rather awkwardly in the small street; Mrs. Milvey being engaged in pursuing the village children, and her investigations whether they were in danger of becoming children of Israel; and the Reverend Frank being engaged⁠—to say the truth⁠—in evading that branch of his spiritual functions, and getting out of sight surreptitiously.

Bella at length said:

“Hadn’t we better talk about the commission we have undertaken, Mr. Rokesmith?”