Edward took one road, Mrs. Dodd and Elizabeth another.
They were no sooner gone, than Julia drew the nurse into a room apart and asked her eagerly if her father had said nothing.
“Said nothing, Miss? Why he was a-talking all the night incessant.”
“Did he say anything particular? think now.”
“No, Miss: he went on as they all do just before a change. I never minds 'em; I hear so much of it.”
“Oh, nurse! nurse! have pity on me; try and recollect.”
“Well, Miss, to oblige you then; it was mostly fights this time—and wrecks—and villains—and bankers—and sharks.”
“Bankers??!” asked Julia eagerly.
“Yes, Miss, and villains, they come once or twice, but most of the time it was sharks, and ships, and money, and—hotch-potch I call it the way they talk. Bless your heart, they know no better: everything they ever saw, or read, or heard tell of—it all comes out higgledy-piggledy just before they goes off. We that makes it a business never takes no notice of what they says, Miss, and never repeats it out of one sick house into another, that you may rely on.”
Julia scarcely heard this: her hands were tight to her brow as if to aid her to think with all her force.