Ada sprung to her feet, and then, turning to those in the shop, she said,—
“Accept my heartfelt thanks? I am poor in all else.”
Then, taking the offered arm of the officer, who, though rough and uncouth, meant to be quite kind and considerate in his way, she left the shop, and the strangely-matched pair proceeded down Whitehall towards Sir Francis Hartleton’s house.
“That fellow as you was with my dear,” remarked the officer, “is a reg’lar out-and-outer; down as fifteen hammers, and a touch above nothing.”
This speech was about as intelligible to Ada as if it had been spoken in Chinese, and she replied mildly,—
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Bless your innocence!” said the officer; “I means as he’s the most downiest cove as we’ve come across lately.”
“Indeed,” said Ada, who was quite as wise as before.
“Yes; he went up the Strand like twenty blessed lamplighters rolled into one.”
“Where’s the Strand?” said Ada.