"I wish those d----d curtains were off the bed," and again they underwent the same disgusting process; "and the bed-clothes, egad! They purify nothing here. You know _nothing_ about _them_ either, of course? No--but they would not like to kill me. _No_;--that would not do. Knock their little game on the head, eh? I suppose it _is_ all right. What's prevalent here now? What sort of--I mean what sort of _death_--fever, small-pox, or scarlatina--eh? Much sickness going?" "Nothink a'most, sir; a little measles among the children." "No objection to that; it heads them down a bit, and does not trouble us. But what among the _grown_ people?" "Nothink to signify in the court here, for three months a'most." "And _then_, ma'am, what _was_ it, pray? Give those to your boy" (they were his boots); "let him rub 'em up, ma'am, he's not a bit too young to begin; and, egad! he had better do 'em _well_, too;" and thrusting his feet into a great pair of slippers, he reverted to his question--"What sickness was _then_, ma'am, three months ago, here in this pleasant little prison-yard of a place--hey?" "Fever, please, sir, at No. 4. Three took it, please: two of 'em went to hospital." "And never walked out?" "Don't know, indeed, sir--and one died, please, sir, in the court here, and he left three little children." "I hope they're gone away?" "Yes, sir, please." "Well, that's a release. Rest his soul, he's dead! as our immortal bard, that says everything so much better than anyone else, says; and rest our souls, _they're_ gone with their vile noise. So your bill of mortality is not much to signify; and make that coffee--d'ye see?--this moment, and let me have it as hot as--as the final abode of Dissenters and Catholics--I see you believe in the Church Catechism--immediately, if you please, to the next room." So, with a courtesy, Sally Rumble tripped from the room, with the coffee-case in her hand. CHAPTER VIII. THE LODGER AND HIS LANDLADY. SALLY was beginning to conceive a great fear of her guest, and terror being the chief spring of activity, in a marvellously short time the coffee was made, and she, with Lucy Maria holding the candle behind her, knocking at what they called the drawing-room door. When, in obedience to his command, she entered, he was standing by the chimney-piece, gazing at her through an atmosphere almost hazy with tobacco smoke. He had got on his dressing-gown, which was pea-green, and a scarlet fez, and stood with his inquisitive smile and scowl, and his long pipe a little removed from his lips.