"Good morning, sir," said the old woman. "What, might I ask, brings you here?"
"I have called, madam," replied the red policeman, making another bow, "for the purpose of taking you with me to prison for stealing a roll of butter."
"Where is the roll of butter?" said the old woman.
The policeman looked very hard at the butter dish, but there was no butter on it. The old man and his wife and the gas-man had eaten it all.
"I beg your pardon, I am sure," said the policeman.
"The idea!" said the old woman. "Besides you said you would not call this morning unless the weather were fine, and you see for yourself that it is now raining cats and dogs."
"I am truly sorry, madam," said the policeman, bowing once more. "When I come to think of it, I did say that I would not call if it rained. Pray forgive me. We all make mistakes sometimes, you know."
"I don't like such mistakes," said the old woman. "Now kindly leave the house."
"Oh, please don't turn me out," said the red policeman, "it is raining very hard indeed, and I might get my feet wet."
"We should always be kind," said the old woman, "even to policemen, and as it is raining and I left my umbrella in an omnibus the other day, I will lend you my sunshade. But please go."