"Did she go last night? Ah! She went last night," he answered with a sulky jerk of his head.
"But was she here when the lady came? And what did the lady say to her? And where is the lady gone? I beg and pray you to be so kind as to tell me," said I, "for I am in great distress to know."
"If my master would let me speak, and not say a word of harm--" the woman timidly began.
"Your master," said her husband, muttering an imprecation with slow emphasis, "will break your neck if you meddle with wot don't concern you."
After another silence, the husband of the absent woman, turning to me again, answered me with his usual grumbling unwillingness.

"She went last night," he answered with a sulky jerk of his head.
"But was she here when the lady came? And what did the lady say to her? And where is the lady gone? I beg and pray you to be so kind as to tell me," said I, "for I am in great distress to know."
"If my master would let me speak, and not say a word of harm-" the woman timidly began.
"Your master," said her husband with slow emphasis, "will break your neck if you meddle with wot don't concern you."
After another silence, Jenny's husband said,
