"Do you send him," said Shawn to the embers, "but bring in the wenches before he returns, Nanny, else you'll be rambling on from here to hereafter and we biting the curbing of the stall, God damn it, with nothing to mount."
"Mr. Shawn, sir, one day your tongue'll turn and bite you, sir."
"Then I'll have thee kiss the place, old woman." She sidled for the doorway, out of reach of his lazy hand. "But wait till I bleed."
"I marvel the sweet young gentleman ever took up with you, sir, you that come in with a smile and stay with a curse."
"Took up with me to see a bit of the world, Nanny, the way the world's a troublesome thing for a boy to see at all and I'm part of it. Come give us a kiss!"
"You leave me tell you this: you mark one of my poor girls on the face just once, just once, Mr. Shawn——"
"And you'll have law on me belike?"
"Though it be the ruin o' me I'll say it: I think you're a wicked man, Mr. Shawn."
"But not on the face is well enough?"
"Mr. Shawn!"