'Devil a bit,' said Charley.
'Laws, now—don't you indeed? Well, that is odd.'
'How the deuce should I know? Where's Norah?'
'Why—she's at Gravesend.'
'At Gravesend—you don't mean to say she's——'
'I just do then; she's just gone and got herself spliced to Peppermint this morning. They had the banns said these last three Sundays; and this morning they was at St. Martin's at eight o'clock, and has been here junketing ever since, and now they're away to Gravesend.'
'Gravesend!' said Charley, struck by the suddenness of his rescue, as the gambler would have been had some stranger seized the razor at the moment when it was lifted to his throat.
'Yes, Gravesend,' said Mrs. Davis; 'and they'll come up home to his own house by the first boat to-morrow.'
'So Norah's married!' said Charley, with a slight access of sentimental softness in his voice.
'She's been and done it now, Mr. Tudor, and no mistake; and it's better so, ain't it? Why, Lord love you, she'd never have done for you, you know; and she's the very article for such a man as Peppermint.'