"It is indeed, valuable—worth forty pounds at least," she replied.
"Well, then, here goes, it's worth a bit of a risk," and so saying he deposited it carefully in a corner of his waistcoat pocket, "give me the letter now, ma'am."
She handed him the letter, and he thrust it into the deepest abyss of his breeches pocket.
"Deliver that letter but safely," said she, "and what I have given you shall be but the earnest of what's to come, it is important—urgent—execute but the mission truly, and I will not spare rewards."
The man gave two short nods of huge significance, accompanied with a slight grunt.
"I say again, let me but have assurance that the message has been done," repeated she, "and you shall have abundant reason to rejoice, above all things dispatch—and—and—secrecy."
The man winked very hard with one eye, and at the same time with his crooked finger drew his nose so much on one side, that he seemed intent on removing that feature into exile somewhere about the region of his ear; and having performed this elegant and expressive pantomime for several seconds, he stooped forward, and in an emphatic whisper said,—
"Ne-ver fear."
He then opened the door and abruptly made his exit, leaving poor Mary Ashwoode full of agitating hopes.