"I don't exactly know what to say about it," said Mrs. Smiley. "If Mr. Kenneby ain't willing, I'm not the woman to bind him to his word, because I've had his promise over and over again, and could prove it by a number of witnesses before any jury in the land. I'm an independent woman as needn't be beholden to any man, and I should never think of damages. Smiley left me comfortable before all the world, and I don't know but what I'm a fool to think of changing. Anyways if Mr. Kenneby—"
"Come, John. Why don't you speak to her?" said Mrs. Moulder.
"And what am I to say?" said Kenneby, thrusting himself forth from between the ample folds of the two ladies' dresses. "I'm a blighted man; one on whom the finger of scorn has been pointed. His lordship said that I was—stupid; and perhaps I am."
"She don't think nothing of that, John."
"Certainly not," said Mrs. Smiley.
"As long as a man can pay twenty shillings in the pound and a trifle over, what does it matter if all the judges in the land was to call him stupid?" said Snengkeld.
"Stupid is as stupid does," said Kantwise.
"Stupid be d——," said Moulder.
"Mr. Moulder, there's ladies present," said Mrs. Smiley.
"Come, John, rouse yourself a bit," said his sister. "Nobody here thinks the worse of you for what the judge said."