Well,Mr.and Mrs.Smith,the evening closes in,and we must be going;and remember this,that every Saturday when you come in to market,you are to make our house as your own.There will be always a tea-cup and saucer for you,as you know there has been for months,though you may have forgotten it.Im a plain-speaking woman,and what I say I mean.
When the visitors were gone,and the sun had set,and the moons rays were just beginning to assert themselves upon the walls of the dwelling,John Smith and his wife sat dawn to the newspaper they had hastily procured from the town.And when the reading was done,they considered how best to meet the new social requirements settling upon them,which Mrs.Smith considered could be done by new furniture and house enlargement alone.
And,John,mind one thing,she said in conclusion.In writing to Stephen,never by any means mention the name of Elfride Swancourt again.Weve left the place,and know no more about her except by hearsay.He seems to be getting free of her,and glad am I for it.It was a cloudy hour for him when he first set eyes upon the girl.That familys been no good to him,first or last;
so let them keep their blood to themselves if they want to.He thinks of her,I know,but not so hopelessly.So dont try to know anything about her,and we cant answer his questions.She may die out of his mind then.
That shall be it,said John.