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The Old Woman

           

           ‘Pray,sir,’saidtheoldwoman,‘didn’tIseeyoucomeoutofthatgentleman’shouse?’pointingbacktoMr.Bounderby’s.‘Ibelieveitwasyou,unlessIhavehadthebadlucktomistakethepersoninfollowing?’

           ‘Yes,missus,’returnedStephen,‘itwereme.’

           ‘Haveyouyou’llexcuseanoldwoman’scuriosityhaveyouseenthegentleman?’

           ‘Yes,missus.’

           ‘Andhowdidhelook,sir?Washeportly,bold,outspoken,andhearty?’Asshestraightenedherownfigure,andheldupherheadinadaptingheractiontoherwords,theideacrossedStephenthathehadseenthisoldwomanbefore,andhadnotquitelikedher.

           ‘Oyes,’hereturned,observinghermoreattentively,‘hewereallthat.’

           ‘Andhealthy,’saidtheoldwoman,‘asthefreshwind?’

           ‘Yes,’returnedStephen.‘Hewereett’nanddrinkingaslargeandasloudasaHummobee.’

           ‘Thankyou!’saidtheoldwoman,withinfinitecontent.‘Thankyou!’

           Hecertainlyneverhadseenthisoldwomanbefore.Yettherewasavagueremembranceinhismind,asifhehadmorethanoncedreamedofsomeoldwomanlikeher.

           Shewalkedalongathisside,and,gentlyaccommodatinghimselftoherhumour,hesaidCoketownwasabusyplace,wasitnot?Towhichsheanswered‘Eighsure!Dreadfulbusy!’Thenhesaid,shecamefromthecountry,hesaw?Towhichsheansweredintheaffirmative.

           ‘ByParliamentary,thismorning.IcamefortymilebyParliamentarythismorning,andI’mgoingbackthesamefortymilethisafternoon.

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