With a little exclamation Miss Titch flew upstairs while Halfred turned to me with something of a convicted air.
“Miss Titch has been a-telling me, sir—” he began.
“I know; I saw her,” I replied, eying him in a way that disconcerted him considerably. “She has been telling you that woman is worthy of your homage; and doubtless you believed her. Did you not?”
“No, sir. She ain't said that exactly,” he answered; “though it wouldn't be surprising, either, to hear 'er usin' them kind of words, considering 'er remarkable heducation. Wot she said was—”
“That you will serve till she finds another,” I interposed.
“Miss Titch, sir, ain't one of that kind,” he replied, with an air of foolish chivalry I could not but admire in spite of myself.
“Pardon, Halfred. She is divine; I admit it. What did she say, then?”
“She says there's been a furriner pumpin' 'er about you, sir, this very hafternoon.”
“Pumping?”
“Hashing questions like wot a Bobby does; as if 'e wanted hall the correct facts.”