I had asked leave to enter of course. Liz (the only name by which I knew her) rose to give me her own chair, but I sat down on a stool near the fire, and Mr. Bucket took a corner of the bedstead. Now that I had to speak and was among people with whom I was not familiar, I became conscious of being hurried and giddy. It was very difficult to begin, and I could not help bursting into tears.
"Liz," said I, "I have come a long way in the night and through the snow to inquire after a lady--"
"Who has been here, you know," Mr. Bucket struck in, addressing the whole group with a composed propitiatory face; "that's the lady the young lady means. The lady that was here last night, you know."
"And who told YOU as there was anybody here?" inquired Jenny's husband, who had made a surly stop in his eating to listen and now measured him with his eye.
"A person of the name of Michael Jackson, with a blue welveteen waistcoat with a double row of mother of pearl buttons," Mr. Bucket immediately answered.

I sat down on a stool near the fire, and Mr. Bucket took a corner of the bedstead. Now that I had to speak, I became conscious of feeling hurried and giddy. It was very difficult to begin, and I could not help bursting into tears.
"Liz," said I, "I have come a long way in the night and through the snow to inquire after a lady-"
"Who has been here, you know," Mr. Bucket struck in. "The lady that was here last night, you know."
"And who told you as there was anybody here?" inquired Jenny's husband.
"A person called Jackson, with a blue welveteen waistcoat with a double row of mother of pearl buttons," Mr. Bucket answered.
