parlour, and there they were, nose and knees together, starting away
from each other as soon as they saw me, Nance giving one of her faint
cries, and the two making believe to have been talking of the weather.
It's always so. And I want to know what secret they have got hold of, and
whether I'm poison, that I can't be trusted with it."

Jabez Gum slowly turned his eyes on the two in question. His wife lifted
her hands in deprecation at the idea that she should have a secret:
Mirrable was laughing.

"Nancy's secret to-night, when you interrupted us, was telling me of a
dream she had regarding Lord Hartledon, and of how she mistook Mr. Elster
for him the morning he came down," cried the latter. "And if you have
really been listening at the shutters since you went out, Mrs. Jones, you
should by this time know how to pickle walnuts in the new way: for I
declare that is all our conversation has been about since. You always
were suspicious, you know, and you always will be."

"Look here, Mrs. Jones," said the clerk, decisively; "I don't choose to
have my shutters listened at: it might give the house a bad name, for
quarrelling, or something of that sort. So I'll trouble you not to repeat
what you have done to-night, or I shall forbid your coming here. A
secret, indeed!"

"Yes, a secret!" persisted Mrs. Jones. "And if I don't come at what it is
one of these days, my name's not Lydia Jones. And I'll tell you why. It
strikes me--I may be wrong--but it strikes me it concerns me and my
husband and my household, which some folks are ever ready to interfere
with. I'll take myself off now; and I would recommend you, as a parting
warning, to denounce Pike to the police for an attempt at housebreaking,