‘I am glad of that,’ said she; ‘I have told you all I know, and if I was to tell you more I should have to speak what is not the truth.’
‘I do not want any more of my fortune told,’ said I, ‘but I wish to ask you certain questions, which I dare say you will answer,’ and as I spoke I put my hand in my pocket and pulled out my purse, from which I extracted a shilling.
She took the shilling, and looked at the purse and said, speaking naturally—that is to say, without the drawling and whining tone which she had employed when addressing the passengers:
‘Is that your purse, lady?’
‘Yes,’ said I.
‘Did it come with you into the ship?’
‘Yes.’
‘Let me look at it, lady.’
She turned it about, examined the money in it, looked at the purse again, then returning it to me exclaimed, ‘This is English.’
‘How do you know?’ said I.