"Not of HER!" screamed she. "Of whom, then?"

"Oh, psha! nonsense! Of you, my dear, to be sure; who else should
he care for? And, besides, what business is it of mine?" And
herewith the Corporal began whistling, as if he would have no more
of the conversation. But Mrs. Cat was not to be satisfied,--not
she,--and carried on her cross-questions.

"Why, look you," said the Corporal, after parrying many of
these,--"Why, look you, I'm an old fool, Catherine, and I must blab.
That man has been the best friend I ever had, and so I was quiet;
but I can't keep it in any longer,--no, hang me if I can! It's my
belief he's acting like a rascal by you: he deceives you,
Catherine; he's a scoundrel, Mrs. Hall, that's the truth on't."

Catherine prayed him to tell all he knew; and he resumed.

"He wants you off his hands; he's sick of you, and so brought here
that fool Tom Trippet, who has taken a fancy to you. He has not the
courage to turn you out of doors like a man; though indoors he can
treat you like a beast. But I'll tell you what he'll do. In a
month he will go to Coventry, or pretend to go there, on recruiting
business. No such thing, Mrs. Hall; he's going on MARRIAGE
business; and he'll leave you without a farthing, to starve or to
rot, for him. It's all arranged, I tell you: in a month, you are
to be starved into becoming Tom Trippet's mistress; and his honour
is to marry rich Miss Dripping, the twenty-thousand-pounder from
London; and to purchase a regiment;--and to get old Brock drummed
out of Cutts's too," said the Corporal, under his breath. But he
might have spoken out, if he chose; for the poor young woman had