These passionate words excited more and more laughter. "Pay it, my
Lord," said the coachman; "and then come along, for time presses."
"Our respects to her Ladyship," said one passenger. "Tell her my
Lord can't wait," said another; and with much merriment one and all
quitted the hotel, entered the coach, and rattled off.

Dumb--pale with terror and rage--bill in hand, Mrs. Score had
followed the company; but when the coach disappeared, her senses
returned. Back she flew into the inn, overturning the ostler, not
deigning to answer Doctor Dobbs (who, from behind soft
tobacco-fumes, mildly asked the reason of her disturbance), and,
bounding upstairs like a fury, she rushed into the room where
Catherine lay.

"Well, madam!" said she, in her highest key, "do you mean that you
have come into this here house to swindle me? Do you dare for to
come with your airs here, and call yourself a nobleman's lady, and
sleep in the best bed, when you're no better nor a common tramper?
I'll thank you, ma'am, to get out, ma'am. I'll have no sick paupers
in this house, ma'am. You know your way to the workhouse, ma'am,
and there I'll trouble you for to go." And here Mrs. Score
proceeded quickly to pull off the bedclothes; and poor Cat arose,
shivering with fright and fever.

She had no spirit to answer, as she would have done the day before,
when an oath from any human being would have brought half-a-dozen
from her in return; or a knife, or a plate, or a leg of mutton, if
such had been to her hand. She had no spirit left for such
repartees; but in reply to the above words of Mrs. Score, and a
great many more of the same kind--which are not necessary for our