'Why, what did you come telling me the other night?' cried Totty at length. 'It was like your impudence.'
'What did I tell you? I didn't tell you anything. I asked if you knew of something, and you said you did. I don't see how I was impudent. After hearing Bower's tale it was likely I should come and speak to you about it.'
'Bower's tale? What tale?'
'You don't know that Bower's found it all out, and is telling everybody?'
'Found all what out? I haven't been to the shop for a week. What do you mean?'
Ackroyd checked some impulsive words, and recommenced gravely:
'Look here, Totty. Will you please tell me in plain words what you supposed I was asking you about on Tuesday night?'
'All right. It's nothing to me. You'd found out somehow that Thyrza was foolish enough to want to have you instead of Mr. Grail, and so you was so kind as to come and tell me. I quite understood; there's no need of saying 'I beg your pardon.' You may go your way, and I go mine.'
'And you mean to say you believed that! Well, I don't wonder at you being in the sulks. And that's why you send Lydia to me to ask about Thyrza? By the Lord, if I ever heard the like of that! Well, I've got a fair lot of cheek, but I couldn't quite manage that.'
'Then what did you mean?' she cried angrily.