Page:Gissing - The Nether World, vol. I, 1889.djvu/170

 "I'm not sure you've done all you might have to keep her friends with you," he said seriously, but with a good-natured look.

"There you go!" exclaimed Mrs. Byass, throwing back her head. "Of course everybody must be in fault sooner than her! She's an angel is Miss Hewett! Poor dear! to think how shameful she's been used! Now I do wonder how you've the face to say such things, Mr. Kirkwood! Why, there's nobody else livin' would have been as patient with her as I always was. I'm not bad-tempered, I will say that for myself, an' I've put up with all sorts of things (me, a married woman), when any one else would have boxed her ears an' told her she was a conceited minx. I used to be fond of Clara; you know I did. But she's got beyond all bearin'; and if you wasn't just as foolish as men always are, you'd see her in her true colours. Do shake yourself a bit, do! Oh, you silly, silly man!"

Again she burst into ringing laughter, throwing herself backwards and forwards, and