But Hannah was too quick for her and put her back against it.

'No--yo'll not goo till your ooncle there's gien yo a word.

He _shan't_ say I'm hard on yo for nothink, yo good-for-nowt little powsement--he shall see yo as yo are!' And with the bitterness of a smouldering grievance, expressed in every feature, Hannah looked peremptorily at her husband.

He, poor man, was much perplexed.

The hour of devotion was past, and outside it he was not accustomed to be placed in important situations.
'Louie--didn't yo know yo wor a bad gell to stay up and burn t' candles, an fret your aunt ?' he said with a feeble solemnity, his look fixed on the huddled white figure against the mahogany press.
Louie stood with eyes resolutely cast down, and a forced smile, tremulous, but insolent to a degree, slowly lifting up the corners of her mouth as Uncle Reuben addressed her.