Eldred was silent. He had been hit hard, that time. Then he spoke.
"Are you certain sure of your feelin's, sir?"
"I'm certain of nothing in this world except my feelings."
"Because" (Eldred was slow but steady and indomitable in coming to his point), "because we don't want 'er 'eart broke."
"You're breaking it, you fool, every minute you stand there. Give me her address."
In the end he gave it.
Down-stairs, in the kitchen, by the ashes of the raked-out fire, he discussed the situation with his wife.
"Did you tell him plain," said Mrs. Eldred, "that we'd 'ave no triflin'?"
"I did."
"Did you tell 'im that if 'e was not certain sure 'e wanted 'er, there was a young man who did?"