it came to me like magic and I had my natural voice and my senses and
even almost my breath.

"Mrs. Edson!" I says "My dear! Take care. How ever did you lose your
way and stumble on a dangerous place like this? Why you must have come
here by the most perplexing streets in all London. No wonder you are
lost, I'm sure. And this place too! Why I thought nobody ever got here,
except me to order my coals and the Major in the parlours to smoke his
cigar!"--for I saw that blessed man close by, pretending to it.

"Hah--Hah--Hum!" coughs the Major.

"And good gracious me" I says, "why here he is!"

"Halloa! who goes there?" says the Major in a military manner.

"Well!" I says, "if this don't beat everything! Don't you know us Major
Jackman?"

"Halloa!" says the Major. "Who calls on Jemmy Jackman?" (and more out of
breath he was, and did it less like life than I should have expected.)

"Why here's Mrs. Edson Major" I says, "strolling out to cool her poor
head which has been very bad, has missed her way and got lost, and
Goodness knows where she might have got to but for me coming here to drop
an order into my coal merchant's letter-box and you coming here to smoke
your cigar!--And you really are not well enough my dear" I says to her
"to be half so far from home without me. And your arm will be very
acceptable I am sure Major" I says to him "and I know she may lean upon
it as heavy as she likes." And now we had both got her--thanks be