Mrs. Erps shot open her front door with a backward plunge of her foot, the policeman closed it with a backward kick of his foot; and to the continued recital in great detail of how it all happened, their burden was carried to the first front and laid upon the cleeng, sweet bed, well-haired, wool blenkits, eight and six and find yer own.
They loosened her dress at her throat; beneath the constable's direction made use of water and chafed her hands. "Marrit," said Mrs. Erps, denoting the wedding ring. "Marrit, she is."
Presently Audrey opened her eyes.
"Why, there you are!" cried Mrs. Erps in high delight. "There you are, my pretty. Safe and sahnd as ever you was. There you are! You recolleck me, don't you, my love? Wot you gave the piper to? 'Excoose me,' I says to yer, 'excoose me,' I says—"
Audrey's eyes went meaninglessly from Mrs. Erps to the constable, her eyelids fluttered above them and closed.
"Stand aht of it!" said Mrs. Erps to the constable in a very sharp whisper. "Stand aht of it, frightenin' her. 'E won't 'urt you, my pretty. 'E only carried of yer up. Dahn you went, yer know, right dahn. Where's your 'usbing, my pretty?"
Her lips just parted. She moaned "Oh, dear! O God!"
Mrs. Erps communicated to the constable: "Jus' 'er very words. Dahn she went—"
The eyes opened again.
"Your 'usbing, dear, I'm askin'. 'Usbing. Ain't you got a ma, my dear? Ain't you got a pa?"