"It is nothing to us what it means," said Mrs. Armadale, speaking for the first time. "We have no concern with this man. He came to see Mrs. Barclay, his friend, and I suppose he'll never come again."
"Why shouldn't he come again, mother?" said Charity. "If she's his friend, he might want to see her more than once, seems to me. And what's more, he is coming again. I heard him askin' her if he might; and then Mrs. Barclay asked me if it would be convenient, and I said it would, of course. He said he would be comin' back from Boston in a few weeks, and he would like to stop again as he went by. And do you know I think she coloured. It was only a little, but she ain't a woman to blush much; and I believe she knows why he wants to come, as well as he does."
"Nonsense, Charity!" said Madge incredulously.
"Then half the world are busy with nonsense, that's all I have to say; and I'm glad for my part I've somethin' better to do."
"Do you say he's comin' again?" inquired Mrs. Armadale.
"He says so, mother."
"What for?"
"Why, to visit his friend Mrs. Barclay, of course."
"She is our friend," said the old lady; "and her friends must be entertained; but he is not our friend, children. We ain't of his kind, and he ain't of our'n."
"What's the matter? Ain't he good?" asked Mrs. Marx.