"Yes, sir. Father left me to Uncle when he died."
"Then, Rose, Mrs. Eldred is not your aunt?"
"Oh no, sir," said Rose eagerly.
Tanqueray felt a relief out of all proportion to its cause.
He continued the innocent conversation.
"And so you're going to look after me, are you?"
"Yes," said Rose. He noticed that when she dropped the "sir," it was because her voice drew itself back with a little gasping breath.
"And your aunt, you think, really won't be equal to it?"
"Well, sir, you see, she gets all of a flutter like, and then she w'eezes, and she knows that's irritating for you to hear." She paused. "And Aunt was afraid that if you was irritated, sir, you'd go. Nothin' could keep you."
(How thoroughly they understood him!)