Banns or license, it's all one to me." "I won't be married by license," said Mrs.Silk, with sudden petulance; "leastways, I'd rather not be," she added, softening.
Mr.Wilks took his handkerchief from his pocket and blew his nose violently.

Mrs.Silk's methods of attack left him little opportunity for the plain speaking which was necessary to dispel illusions.

He turned a watery, appealing eye on to Mr.Nugent, and saw to his surprise that that gentleman was winking at him with great significance and persistence.

It would have needed a heart of stone to have been unaffected by such misery, and to-night Mr.Nugent, thankful for his own escape, was in a singularly merciful mood.
"All this sounds as though you are going to be married," he said, turning to Mrs.Silk with a polite smile.
The widow simpered and looked down, thereby affording Mr.Nugent an opportunity of another signal to the perturbed steward, who sat with such a look of anxiety on his face lest he should miss his cue that the young man's composure was tried to the utmost.
"It's been a understood thing for a long time," she said, slowly, "but I couldn't leave my son while 'e was single and nobody to look after 'im.
A good mother makes a good wife, so they say.

A woman can't always 'ave 'er own way in everything, and if it's not to be by banns, then by license it must be, I suppose." "Well, he'll be a fortunate man, whoever he is," said Mr.Nugent, with another warning glance at Mr.Wilks; "and I only hope that he'll make a better husband than you do, Sam," he added, in a low but severe voice.
Mrs.Silk gave a violent start.