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‘Miss； miss；’ whispered Dennis； beckoning to her with his
forefinger； ‘come here—I won’t hurt you。 Come here； my lamb；
will you？’
On hearing this tender epithet； Miss Miggs； who had left off
screaming when he opened his lips； and had listened to him
attentively； began again； crying： ‘Oh I’m his lamb！ He says I’m his
lamb！ Oh gracious； why wasn’t I born old and ugly！ Why was I
ever made to be the youngest of six； and all of ’em dead and in
their blessed graves； excepting one married sister； which is settled
in Golden Lion Court； number twenty…sivin； second bell…handle on
the—！’
‘Don’t I say I an’t a…going to hurt you？’ said Dennis； pointing to
a chair。 ‘Why miss； what’s the matter？’
‘I don’t know what mayn’t be the matter！’ cried Miss Miggs；
clasping her hands distractedly。 ‘Anything may be the matter！’
‘But nothing is； I tell you；’ said the hangman。 ‘First stop that
noise and come and sit down here； will you； chuckey？’
The coaxing tone in which he said these latter words might
have failed in its object； if he had not accompanied them with
sundry sharp jerks of his thumb over one shoulder； and with
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divers winks and thrustings of his tongue into his cheek； from
which signals the damsel gathered that he sought to speak to her
apart； concerning Miss Haredale and Dolly。 Her curiosity being
very powerful； and her jealousy by no means inactive； she arose；
and with a great deal of shivering and starting back； and much
muscular action among all the small bones in her throat； gradually
approached him。
‘Sit down；’ said the hangman。
Suiting the action to the word； he thrust her rather suddenly
and prematurely into a chair； and designing to reassure her by a
little harmless jocularity； such as is adapted to please and
fascinate the sex； converted his right forefinger into an ideal
bradawl or gimlet； and made as though he would screw the same
into her side—whereat Miss Miggs shrieked again； and evinced
symptoms of faintness。
‘Lovey； my dear；’ whispered Dennis； drawing his chair close to
hers。 ‘When was your young man here last； eh？’
‘My young man； good gentleman！’ answered Miggs in a tone of
exquisite distress。
‘Ah！ Simmuns； you know—him？’ said Dennis。
‘Mine indeed！’ cried Miggs； with a burst of bitterness—and as
she said it； she glanced towards Dolly。 ‘Mine； good gentleman！’
This was just what Mr Dennis wanted； and expected。
‘Ah！’ he said； looking so soothingly； not to say amorously on
Miggs； that she sat； as she afterwards remarked； on pins and
needles of the sharpest Whitechapel kind； not knowing what
intentions might be suggesting that expression to his features： ‘I
was afraid of that。 I saw as much myself。 It’s her fault。 She will
entice ’em。’
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‘I wouldn’t；’ cried Miggs； folding her hands and looking
upwards with a kind of devout blankness； ‘I wouldn’t lay myself
out as she does； I wouldn’t be as bold as her； I wouldn’t seem to
say to all male creeturs “Come and kiss me”’—and here a shudder
quite convulsed her frame—‘for any earthly crowns as might be
offered。 Worlds；’ Miggs added solemnly； ‘should not reduce me。
No。 Not if I was Wenis。’
‘Well； but you are Wenus； you know；’ said Mr Dennis；
confidentially。
‘No； I am not； good gentleman；’ answered Miggs； shaking her
head with an air of self…denial which seemed to imply that she
might be if she chose； but she hoped she knew better。 ‘No； I am
not； good gentleman。 Don’t charge me with it。’
Up to this time she had turned round； every now and then； to
where Dolly and Miss Haredale had retired and uttered a scream；
or groan； or laid her hand upon her heart and trembled
excessively； with a view of keeping up appearances； and giving
them to understand that she conversed with the visitor； under
protest and on compulsion； and at a great personal sacrifice； for
their common good。 But at this point； Mr Dennis looked so very
full of meaning； and gave such a singularly expressive twitch to his
face as a request to her to come still nearer to him； that she
abandoned these little arts； and gave him her whole and undivided
attention。
‘When was Simmuns here； I say？’ quoth Dennis； in her ear。
‘Not since yesterday morning； and then only for a few minutes。
Not all day； the day before。’
‘You know he meant all along to carry off that one！’ said Dennis；
indicating Dolly by the slightest possible jerk of his head：—‘And to
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hand you over to somebody else。’
Miss Miggs； who had fallen into a terrible state of grief when
the first part of this sentence was spoken； recovered a little at the
second； and seemed by the sudden check she put upon her tears；
to intimate that possibly this arrangement might meet her views；
and that it might； perhaps； remain an open question。
‘—But unfort’nately；’ pursued Dennis； who observed this：
‘somebody else was fond of her too； you see； and even if he wasn’t；
somebody else is took for a rioter； and it’s all over with him。’
Miss Miggs relapsed。
‘Now I want；’ said Dennis； ‘to clear this house； and to see you
righted。 What if I was to get her off； out of the way； eh？’
Miss Miggs； brightening again； rejoined； with many breaks and
pauses from excess of feeling； that temptations had been
Simmuns’s bane。 That it was not