uselessness and weakness of women. Mrs. Mel topped him by half a head,
and in addition stood three steps above him; towering like a giantess.
The extreme gravity of her large face dispersed all idea of an assault.
The old gentleman showed signs of being horribly injured: nevertheless,
he put his hand to the trunk; it was lifted, and the procession ascended
the stairs in silence.

The landlady waited for Mrs. Mel to return, and then said:

'Really, Mrs. Harrington, you are clever. That lifting that trunk's as
good as a lock and bolt on him. You've as good as made him a Dolphin--
him that was one o' the oldest Green Dragons in Fallifield. My thanks to
you most sincere.'

Mrs. Mel sent out to hear where Dandy had got to after which, she said:
'Who is the man?'

'I told you, Mrs. Harrington--the oldest Green Dragon. His name, you
mean? Do you know, if I was to breathe it out, I believe he'd jump out
of the window. He 'd be off, that you might swear to. Oh, such a
whimsical! not ill-meaning--quite the contrary. Study his whims, and
you'll never want. There's Mrs. Sockley--she 's took ill. He won't go
there--that 's how I've caught him, my dear--but he pays her medicine,
and she looks to him the same. He hate a sick house: but he pity a sick
woman. Now, if I can only please him, I can always look on him as half a
Dolphin, to say the least; and perhaps to-morrow I'll tell you who he is,
and what, but not to-night; for there's his supper to get over, and that,
they say, can be as bad as the busting of one of his own vats. Awful!'

'What does he eat?' said Mrs. Mel.