He bowed an ear that did not hear her.
"Nicky did me well," said Tanqueray.
"I told you all the time," said Jane, "that Nicky knew."
"'E couldn't do anything without 'is study."
"Ah?" Nicky returned to the little woman, all attention.
"Aren't you proud of him? Isn't it splendid how he's brought them round? How they're all praising him?"
"So they'd ought to," Rose said. "'E's worked 'ard enough for it. The way 'e works! He'll sit think-thinkin' for hours, before 'e seems as if 'e could get fair hold of a word——"
They had all stopped talking to Tanqueray and were listening to Tanqueray's wife.
"Then 'e'll start writin', slow-like; and 'e'll go over it again and again, a-scratchin' out and a-scratchin' out, till all 'is papers is a marsh of ink; and 'e'll 'ave to write all that over again. And the study and the care 'e gives to it you'd never think."
Nicky's ear leaned closer than ever, as if to shelter and protect her; and Rose became aware that George's forehead was lowering upon her from the other end of the table and trying to scowl her into silence.