[_Minnie gloats over it. Mrs. Holroyd lights a candle and they go upstairs. After a few moments the outer door opens, and there enters an old woman. She is of middling stature and wears a large gray shawl over her head. After glancing sharply round the room, she advances to the fire, warms herself, then, taking off her shawl, sits in the rocking-chair. As she hears Mrs. Holroyd's footsteps, she folds her hands and puts on a lachrymose expression, turning down the corners of her mouth and arching her eyebrows._ MRS. HOLROYD Hello, mother, is it you? GRANDMOTHER Yes, it's me. Haven't you finished ironing? MRS. HOLROYD Not yet. GRANDMOTHER You'll have your irons red-hot. MRS. HOLROYD Yes, I s'll have to stand them to cool. (_She does so, and moves about at her ironing_) GRANDMOTHER And you don't know what's become of Charles? MRS. HOLROYD Well, he's not come home from work yet. I supposed he was at the New Inn--Why? GRANDMOTHER That young electrician come knocking asking if I knew where he was. "Eh," I said, "I've not set eyes on him for over a week--nor his wife neither, though they pass th' garden gate every time they go out. I know nowt on 'im." I axed him what was the matter, so he said Mrs. Holroyd was anxious because he'd not come home, so I thought I'd better come and see. Is there anything up? MRS. HOLROYD No more than I've told you. GRANDMOTHER It's a rum 'un, if he's neither in the New Inn nor the Prince o' Wales. I suppose something you've done's set him off. MRS. HOLROYD It's nothing I've done. GRANDMOTHER Eh, if he's gone off and left you, whativer shall we do! Whativer 'ave you been doing? MRS. HOLROYD He brought a couple of bright daisies here last night--two of those trollops from Nottingham--and I said I'd not have it. GRANDMOTHER (_sighing deeply_) Ay, you've never been able to agree. MRS. HOLROYD We agreed well enough except when he drank like a fish and came home rolling. GRANDMOTHER (_whining_) Well, what can you expect of a man as 'as been shut up i' th' pit all day? He must have a bit of relaxation. MRS. HOLROYD He can have it different from that, then. At any rate, I'm sick of it. GRANDMOTHER Ay, you've a stiff neck, but it'll be bowed by you're my age. MRS. HOLROYD Will it? I'd rather it were broke. GRANDMOTHER Well--there's no telling what a jealous man will do. (_She shakes her head_) MRS. HOLROYD Nay, I think it's my place to be jealous, when he brings a brazen hussy here and sits carryin' on with her. GRANDMOTHER He'd no business to do that. But you know, Lizzie, he's got something on _his_ side. MRS. HOLROYD What, pray? GRANDMOTHER Well, I don't want to make any mischief, but you're my son's wife, an' it's nothing but my duty to tell you. They've been saying a long time now as that young electrician is here a bit too often. MRS. HOLROYD He doesn't come for my asking. GRANDMOTHER