It took a long time to undress her. Every now and then she made an effort, and another article of clothing was got off. When Esther returned to her room William was asleep, and Esther took him by the shoulder.
"It is more serious than I thought," she shouted. "I want to tell you about it."
"What about it?" he said, opening his eyes.
"She has pledged the plate for thirty pounds to back that 'orse."
"What 'orse?"
"Ben Jonson."
"He broke down at the bushes. If he hadn't I should have been broke up.
The whole neighbourhood was on him. So she pledged the plate to back him.
She didn't do that to back him herself. Some one must have put her up to
it."
"Yes, it was Bill Evans."
"Ah, that blackguard put her up to it. I thought she'd left him for good.
She promised us that she'd never speak to him again."
"You see, she was that fond of him that she couldn't help herself. There's many that can't."