Mrs. Eldred acknowledged her presence and Prothero's by a vague movement of respect. It was not till Prothero had gone that she admitted that she would be glad to take a chair. She explained that she was Rose's aunt, and that she had never been up them stairs before and found them tryin'. Jane expressed sorrow for that fact and for Rose's illness. Mrs. Eldred sighed an expository sigh. "She's frettin' an' she's worritin'. She's worritin' about 'Im. It isn't natch'ral, that life 'E leads, and it's tellin' on 'er." "Something's telling on her." Mrs. Eldred leaned forward and lowered her voice. "It's this way, miss. 'E isn't properly a 'usban' to 'er." "You shouldn't say that, Mrs. Eldred. He's very fond of her." "Fond of 'er I dare say 'E may be. But 'E neglec's 'er." "You shouldn't say that, either." "Well, miss, I can't 'elp sayin' it. Wot else _is_ it, when 'E shuts 'imself up with 'is writin' all day long and 'alf the night, and she a-settin' and a-frettin'?" She looked round the room, apparently recognizing with resentment the scene of Tanqueray's perpetual infidelity. "But," said Jane, "he'd be away as much if he was in business." "'Ef 'E was in business there'd be the evenin's to look forward to. And there'd be 'is Saturdays and Sundays. As it is, wot is there for her to look forward to?" "At any rate she knows he's there." "It's knowin' that 'E's there wot does it. It's not as if she 'ad a 'ouse to look after, or a little baby to take 'er mind orf of 'im." "No, it isn't." A sound of yapping came faintly up from the ground-floor. "That's Joey," said Mrs. Eldred tearfully, "'er Pom as she was so fond of. I've brought 'im. And I've brought Minny too." "Minny?" Jane had not heard of Minny. "The cat, miss. They'll keep 'er company. It's but right as she should 'ave them." Jane assented warmly that it was but right. "It's not," Mrs. Eldred continued, "as if she came reg'lar, say once in a week, to see 'er uncle and me. She'll go to Camden Town and set with that poor old Mr. Gunning. Give Rose any one that's ill. But wot is that _but_ settin'? And now, you see, with settin' she's ill. It's all very well when you're brought up to it, but she isn't. Rose'd be well if she 'ad a 'ouse and did the work in it. And 'E won't let 'er 'ave it. 'E won't 'ear of 'er workin', 'E says." "Well, naturally, he wouldn't like to see his wife working." "Then, miss, 'E should 'ave married a lady 'as wouldn't want to work. That's wot 'E should have done. We were always against it from the first, 'er uncle and me was. But they was set, bein' young-like." Mrs. Eldred's voice ceased suddenly as Tanqueray entered. Jane abstained from all observation of their greeting. She was aware of an unnatural suavity in Tanqueray's manner. He carried it so far as to escort Mrs. Eldred all the way down to the ground-floor sitting-room where Rose was. He returned with considerable impetus to Jane. "Well, Jinny, so you've seen my aunt-in-law?"