第77章

fire，andsweetenedwi’sugar，andstrengthenedwi’whusky；andthenye’reatypeo’toddy——andhumanlife(Igrantit)hasgotsomethingtosaytoyeinthatcapacity!“

“Ihaveheardmoreaboutyou，sinceIwasattheinn，“proceededBlanche，“thanyoumaysuppose。“(Sheopenedherpurse：Mr。

Bishopriggsbecamethepictureofattention。)“Youwerevery，verykindtoaladywhowasstayingatCraigFernie，“shewenton，earnestly。“Iknowthatyouhavelostyourplaceattheinn，becauseyougaveallyourattentiontothatlady。Sheismydearestfriend，Mr。Bishopriggs。Iwanttothankyou。Idothankyou。PleaseacceptwhatIhavegothere？“

Allthegirl’sheartwasinhereyesandinhervoiceassheemptiedherpurseintothegouty(andgreedy)oldhandofBishopriggs。

Ayoungladywithawell-filledpurse(nomatterhowrichtheyoungladymaybe)isacombinationnotoftenwitnessedinanycountryonthecivilizedearth。Eitherthemoneyisalwaysspent，orthemoneyhasbeenforgottenonthetoilet-tableathome。

Blanche’spursecontainedasovereignandsomesixorsevenshillingsinsilver。Aspocket-moneyforanheiressitwascontemptible。ButasagratuitytoBishopriggsitwasmagnificent。Theoldrascalputthemoneyintohispocketwithonehand，anddashedawaythetearsofsensibility，whichhehad_not_shed，withtheother。

“Castyerbreadonthewaters，“criedMr。Bishopriggs，withhisoneeyeraiseddevotionallytothesky，“andyesallfinditagainaftermonnydays!Heeh!hech!didnaIsaywhenIfirstseteyesonthatpuirleddy，’Ifeellikeafethertoye？’It’sseemplymairveloustoseehooaman’saingudedeedsfindhimootinthislowerwarldo’ours。IfeverIheardthevoiceo’

naituralaffectionspeakinginmyainbreast，“pursuedMr。

Bishopriggs，withhiseyefixedinuneasyexpectationonBlanche，“itjoostspak’trumpet-tonguedwhenthatwinsomecreaturefirstlookitatme。WillitbeshenowthattoldyeoftheweebitsairviceIrenderedtoherinthetimewhenIwasinbondageatthehottle？“

“Yes——shetoldmeherself。“

“MightImak’saebauldastoaskwhar’shemaybeatthepresenttime？“

“Idon’tknow，Mr。Bishopriggs。IammoremiserableaboutitthanIcansay。Shehasgoneaway——andIdon’tknowwhere。“

“Ow!ow!that’sbad。Andthebithusband-creaturedanglin’atherpetticoat’stailoneday，andawa’wi’thesunrisenextmornin’——havetheybaithtakenleg-bailtogether？“

“Iknownothingofhim；Ineversawhim。Yousawhim。Tellme——whatwashelike？“

“Eh!hewasjoostapuirweakcreature。Didn’tknowaglasso’

goodsherry-winewhenhe’dgotit。Freewi’thesiller——that’sa’

yecansayforhim——freewi’thesiller!“

FindingitimpossibletoextractfromMr。BishopriggsanyclearerdescriptionofthemanwhohadbeenwithAnneattheinnthanthis，Blancheapproachedthemainobjectoftheinterview。Tooanxioustowastetimeincircumlocution，shetu