'There is no necessity for you to feel like a cat--or any other
animal--treading on plates hot or otherwise when unburdening yourself
to me,' I said kindly and benevolently, to put her at her ease. As a
matter of fact, I half surmised the cause of her embarrassment. No
doubt she had broken some object of value and wished me to act as
intermediary with her mistress in the matter. I have frequently heard
Mrs. Warrington complain of her ever-recurring breakages.
'If I can assist you in any way,' I continued, 'and intervene----'
'Inter-wot?' said Elizabeth.
'Er--perhaps you desire me to put in a good word for you with your
mistress----'
'Do I _not_,' she broke in. 'I can put in all the good words _I_ want
meself--yes, an' a few more, too.'
I was pondering on the remarkable formation of this sentence which lent
itself neither to analysis nor parsing, when her next words arrested my
instant attention.
'It's about Miss Marryun I wanted to speak to you,' she said.
I stared. Why on earth should she speak to me about Miss Warrington,
Henry's sister? I have not noticed her closely, but she is a quiet
enough female, I believe, though possessed of an irritating habit of
constantly pressing quite unnecessary ash-trays on a man.
To my surprise Elizabeth closed the door at this point and, coming up
to me, whispered in a strange husky voice: 'That's just where all the
trouble begins.
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