"Nothing to notice. Of course," added Mrs Bowldler, "you understand that our appetites are not what they were: that there has been a distink droppin' off since—you know what. They both eats, in a fashion, but where's the pleasure in pleasin' 'em? Heart-renderin', I call it, when a devilled kidney might be a plain boiled cabbage for all the heed taken, and you knowin' all the while that a woman's at the bottom of it."
Fancy moved to the door. "Well," said she, "I'm sorry for the cause of it: but duty's duty, and I reckon I've news to make 'em sit up."
She went downstairs resolutely and knocked at Cai's parlour door.
"Come in! . . . Eh, so it's you, missy? No worse news of the invalid, I hope?"
"He isn' goin' to die to-day, nor yet to-morrow, if that's what you mean. May I take a chair?"
"Why, to be sure."
"Thank you." Fancy seated herself. "If you please, Cap'n Hocken, I got a very funny question to ask."
"Well?"
"You mustn't think I'm inquisitive—"
"Go on."