"I'll be able to do that, but missus hasn't her eyes much."
"Hasn't her eyes?" repeated Denzil, with a glance at Mrs. Bensusan's staring orbs.
"Lawks, sir, I'm shortsighted, though I never lets on. Rhoda, 'ow can you 'ave let on to the gentleman as I'm deficient? As to knowing Mr. Wrent, I'd do so well enough," said Mrs. Bensusan, tossing her head, "with his long white beard and white 'ead, let alone his black velvet skull-cap."
"Oh, he wore a skull-cap?"
"Only indoors," said Rhoda sharply, "but here I'm 'olding the door wide, sir, so if you've done, we're done."
"I'm done, as you call it, for the present," replied Denzil, putting on his hat, "but I may come again. In the meantime, hold your tongues. Silence on this occasion will be gold; speech won't even be silver."
Mrs. Bensusan laughed at this speech in a fat and comfortable sort of way, while Rhoda grinned, and escorted Lucian to the front door. She looked so uncanny, with her red hair and black eyes, that the barrister could not forbear a question.
"Are you English, my girl?"
"No, I ain't!" retorted Rhoda emphatically. "I'm of the gentle Romany."
"A gipsy!"