Ben cleared his throat, mindful of Shawn's rambling advice in the evening street. "Would you wish something to drink, Mistress Gundy, that we might have sent up from next door?" "Nay, I knew he'd find it, and with pleasant speech!" She cut her eyes at Shawn to make that a reproach, but he was remote, observing only the embers, or the South Pacific. "Well, dearie, 'tis early on in the evening for it, but since you speak of it and so pleasantly, a trifle to wet the whistle would not go amiss." She patted her lips. "For my part, sir, ever since I resided in London I have been partial to a bit of hot buttered rum of a chilly evening, to settle the rifting-up and keep out the cold. It's the Boston air, sir. Never do I grow accustomed to it, that I never." "Yes," said Ben. "I'll send the servant," said Mistress Gundy, and rose, about to potter away. "Do you send him," said Shawn to the embers, "but bring in the wenches before he returns, Nanny, else you'll be rambling on from here to hereafter and we biting the curbing of the stall, God damn it, with nothing to mount." "Mr. Shawn, sir, one day your tongue'll turn and bite you, sir." "Then I'll have thee kiss the place, old woman." She sidled for the doorway, out of reach of his lazy hand. "But wait till I bleed." "I marvel the sweet young gentleman ever took up with you, sir, you that come in with a smile and stay with a curse." "Took up with me to see a bit of the world, Nanny, the way the world's a troublesome thing for a boy to see at all and I'm part of it. Come give us a kiss!" "You leave me tell you this: you mark one of my poor girls on the face just once, just once, Mr. Shawn----" "And you'll have law on me belike?" "Though it be the ruin o' me I'll say it: I think you're a wicked man, Mr. Shawn." "But not on the face is well enough?" "Mr. Shawn!" "Come now, give us a kiss and be friends!" Ben said involuntarily: "Don't, Mr. Shawn! Leave her alone!" Shawn locked stares with him a moment, smiling, then spread his hands and folded them again on the chair back and dropped his jaw on them, watching the embers, alone on an island. Behind his back Mistress Gundy was beckoning, and Shawn paid no heed as Ben stepped into the hallway with her. "I don't suppose he means too much by his talk, Mistress Gundy." "Eh? Known him long?" "Not long, not very well.... I was astonished he should speak so." She was sniffling, patting her lips. "Let it go." In spite of the small gust of tears she was alert and brisk. "Be you paying or him?" "I am. How--how much?" "Ho, and if he's not, how comes he to lay about him so?" She broke off, laughing indulgently. "Never thee mind, Master Just Benjamin. Two such lovely girls! Well now, if you're a-mind to buy us a wee trifle of rum--so pleasant with a dab of butter, don't you think?--and the girls...."