“There is something vastly curious in this,” said Miss Sowersoft to herself, as she carefully closed the door. “What can the doctor want with such an impudent minx?” And so she remained, pursuing her dark cogitations through all the labyrinths of scandal, until Mrs. Clink had bidden our hero good-b'ye, and crept down stairs. On turning the corner of the wall, the first object she beheld was Miss Sowersoft, with her ear close to the keyhole of the inner parlour-door, apparently so deeply intent on what was going forward within, as to have almost closed her senses to anything without, for she did not perceive Mrs. Clink's approach until she stood within a yard or two of her. “Ay, bless me!--are you here?” she exclaimed, as she drew herself up. “Why, you see, ma'am, there is no rule without an exception; and, notwithstanding what I was saying when Dr. Rowel came in, yet, Mrs. Clink, it was impossible for me to be aware how soon it might be needful for me to break my own rule. You know that servant of yours is a very likely person, Mrs. Clink, for any gentleman to joke with; and, though I do not mean to insinuate anything--I should be very sorry to do so, indeed; but still, doctor though he is--in fact, to tell you the truth,”--and Miss Sowersoft drew her auditor to the farther side of the room, and spoke in a whisper,--“it is highly fortunate I had the presence of mind to listen at the door; for I heard the doctor very emphatically impress on your servant the necessity of not letting even _you_ yourself know anything about it, under any circumstances; and at the same time he promised her something,--presents, for aught we know,--and said he would do something for her. Now, Mrs. Clink, what could he mean by that?--I have my suspicions; and if I were in _your_ place, I should _insist, positively insist_, on knowing all about it, or she should not live another day in my house.” Mrs. Clink stood amazed and confounded. She would have pledged her word that, if needful, Fanny would have resisted any offered insult to the death; but she knew not what to think after what she had just heard. “I _will_ insist on knowing it!” she exclaimed. “The girl is young and simple, and may be easily imposed upon by--” “Hush, hush!” interposed Miss Sowersoft, “they are coming out!” As they came out, Miss Sowersoft looked thunder at Fanny, and bade the doctor good morning with a peculiar stiltiness of expression, which implied, in her own opinion, a great deal more than anybody else could possibly have made of it. “Have her down stairs directly!” continued the lady of the establishment, (for Fanny had gone up stairs,) as soon as Mr. Rowel had passed out of hearing. “A wicked hussy!--If she did not answer me everything straight forwards, _I_ should know what to think of it, and what to do as well, that I should! But _you_ can do as you like, Mrs. Clink.”