HANNAH.
Yes, he"s in our cell.
BLORE.
Ah! And where is the hapartment in question?
HANNAH.
The cell? That"s it!
BLORE.
[_Looking round in horror._] Oh!
HANNAH.
The "Strong-box" they call it in St. Marvells.
BLORE.
Oh, my goodness, honly fancy! [_Whimpering to himself._] And "im accustomed to his shavin" water at h"eight and my kindly hand to b.u.t.ton his gaiters. Oh, here"s a warnin"!
HANNAH.
Whatever is the matter with you, Edward?
BLORE.
"Annah, "Annah, my dear, it"s this very prisoner what I "ave called on you respectin".
HANNAH.
Oh, then the honor ain"t a compliment to me, after all, Mr. Blore?
BLORE.
I"m killing two birds with one stone, my dear.
HANNAH.
[_Throwing the cards into BLORE"S hat._] You can take them back to the Deanery with Mrs. Topping"s comps.
BLORE.
[_Shaking the cards out of his hat and replacing them in his pocket-book._] I will leave them hon you again to-morrow, "Annah. But, "Annah deary, do you know that this hunfortunate man was took in our stables last night.
HANNAH.
No, I never ask Noah nothing about Queen"s business. He don"t want _two_ women over him!
BLORE.
Then you "aven"t seen the miserable culprit?
HANNAH.
Lor" no. I was in bed hours when Noah brought "im "ome. I take no interest in it all. They tell us it"s only a wretched poacher or a petty larcery we"ll get in St. Marvells. My poor Noah ain"t never likely to have the chance of a horrid murder in a place what returns a Conservative. My joint"s burning.
[_Kneeling to look into the oven._
BLORE.
But, "Annah, suppose this case you"ve got "old of now is a case what"ll shake old England to its basis! Suppose it means columns in the paper with Topping"s name a-figurin"! Suppose as family readin", it "old its own with divorce cases!
HANNAH.
Hullo! You know something about this arrest, you do!
BLORE.
No, no, I don"t! I merely said suppose. I merely wish to encourage you, "Annah; to implant an "ope that crime may brighten your wedded life.
HANNAH.
[_Sitting at the table and referring to an official book._] The man was found trespa.s.sing in the Deanery Stables with intent--refuses to give his name or any account of "isself.
BLORE.
[_To himself._] If I could honly find hout whether Dandy d.i.c.k had any of the medicine it would so guide me at the Races. What am I to do? It doesn"t appear that the "orse in the stables--took it, does it?
HANNAH.
[_Looking up sharply._] Took what?
BLORE.
Er--took fright. You"re sure there"s no confession of any sort, "Annah dear?
[_As he is bending over HANNAH, NOAH TOPPING appears. NOAH is a dense-looking ugly countryman, with red hair, a bristling heard, and a vindictive leer. He is dressed in ill-fitting clothes, as a rural Police Constable._
NOAH.
[_Fiercely._] "Annah!
HANNAH.
[_Starting and replacing the book._] Oh don"t! This is Mr. Blore from the Deanery come to see us--an old friend o" mine!