_Mat_. I never asked you to come. _Con_. Well, I did want to be friendly with you. I wouldn't hurt you for the world. _Mat_. (_bursting into tears_) I beg your pardon, miss. I'm behaving like a brute. But you must forgive me; my heart is breaking. _Con_. Poor dear! (_kissing her_) So is mine almost. Let us be friends. Where's Susan gone? _Mat_. To fetch me a cup of tea. She'll be back directly. _Con_. Don't let her say bad words: I can't bear them. I think it's because I was so used to them once--in the streets, I mean--not at home--never at home. _Mat_. She don't often, miss. She's a good-hearted creature. It's only when hunger makes her cross. She don't like to be hungry. _Con_. I should think not, poor girl! _Mat_. Don't mind what she says, please. If you say nothing, she'll come all right. When she's spoken her mind, she feels better. Here she comes! _Re-enter_ SUSAN. _It begins to grow dark_. _Sus_. Well, and who have we got here? _Mat_. Miss Lacordère, Sukey. _Sus_. There's no lack o' dare about _her_, to come here! _Mat_. It's very kind of her to come, Susan. _Sus_. I tell you what, miss: that parcel was stole. It _was_ stole, miss!--stole from me--an' that angel there a dyin' in the street! _Con_. I'm quite sure of it, Susan. I never thought anything else. _Sus_. Not but I allow it was a pity, miss!--I'm very sorry. But, bless you! (_lighting a candle_)--with all _your_ fine clothes--! My! you look like a theayter-queen--you do, miss! If you was to send _them_ up the spout now!--My! what a lot they'd let you have on that silk! _Con_. The shawl is worth a good deal, I believe. It's an Indian one--all needlework. _Sus_. And the bee-utiful silk! Laws, miss! just shouldn't I like to wear a frock like that! I _should_ be hard up before I pledged _that_! But the shawl! If I was you, miss, I would send 'most everything up before that!--things inside, you know, miss--where it don't matter so much. _Con_. (_laughing_) The shawl would be the first thing I should part with. I would rather be nice inside than out. _Sus_. Lawk, miss! I shouldn't wonder if that was one of the differs now! Well, I never! It ain't seen! It must be one o' the differs! _Con_. What differs? I don't understand you. _Sus_. The differs 'tween girls an' ladies--girls like me an' real ladies like you. _Con_. Oh, I see! But how dark it has got! What can be keeping William? I must go at once, or what will my aunt say! Would you mind going with me a little bit, Susan? _Sus_. I'll go with pleasure, miss. _Con_. Just a little way, I mean, till we get to the wide streets. You couldn't lend me an old cloak, could you? _Sus_. I 'ain't got one stitch, miss, but what I stand up in--'cep' it be a hodd glove an' 'alf a pocket-'an'kercher. Nobody 'ill know you. _Con_. But I oughtn't to be out dressed like this. _Sus_. You've only got to turn up your skirt over your head, miss. _Con_. (_drawing up her skirt_) I never thought of that! _Sus_. Well, I never!