"Yes, sir, yes; but the young lady, and--"
"Ah, yes, ma'am. Well, then, going to the window once, twice, or
thrice, I could not help but see a young man standing beneath it,
evidently in waiting--very earnest, very watchful--seemingly very
much interested and anxious, as if waiting for somebody."
"Is it possible?" whispered the tabby, full of expectation.
"Yes, very possible, ma'am--very true." There he stood; I could even
hoar his deep-drawn sighs--deep, long, as if from the very bottom
of his heart.' "Was he so VERY near, sir?"
"Just under the window--going to and fro--very anxious. I was
almost afraid I had spit on him, he looked up so hard--so--"
"What, sir, up at you? at--at MY windows, sir?"
"Not exactly, ma'am, that was only my notion, for I thought I
might have spit upon him, and so wakened his anger; but, indeed,
he looked all about him, as, indeed, it was natural that he should,
you know, if he meditated anything that wa'n't exactly right. There
was a carriage in waiting--a close carriage--not a hundred yards
below, and--"
"Ah, sir, do tell me what sort of a looking young gentleman was
it--eh?"
"Good-looking fellow enough, ma'am--rather tall, slenderish, but
not so slender--wore a black frock." By this time the old creature
was up at the window--her long, skinny neck stretched out as far
as it could go.
"Ah!" said I, "ma'am, you're quite too late, if you expect to see
the sport. They're off; I saw the last of them when I took my last
spit from the window. They were then--"
"But, sir, did he--did you say that this person--the person you
spit on--carried a young lady away with him?"
"You mistake me, ma'am--"
"Ah"--she drew a mighty long breath as if relieved.
"I did NOT spit upon him; I only came near doing it once or twice.
If I hadn't looked, I should very probably have divided my quid
pretty equally between both of them."
"Both! both!" she almost screamed. "Did she go with him, then?--was
there in truth a young woman?"
"You never saw a creature in such a tearing fidget. Her long
nose was nearly stuck into my face, and both her hands, all claws
extended, seemed ready for my cheeks. I felt a little ticklish, I
assure you; but I kept up my courage, determined to see the game
out, and answered very deliberately, after I had put a fresh quid
into my jaws:--"
"Ay, that she did, ma'am, and seemed deuced glad to go, as was
natural enough. A mighty pretty girl she was, too; rather thin,
but pretty enough to tempt a clever fellow to do anything. I reckon
they're nigh on to being man and wife by this time, let the old
people say what they will."