But dinner put an end to the silence which followed this remark.

Mr Handycock lowered his coat-tails and walked downstairs, leaving his wife and me to follow at our leisure.
"Pray, ma'am," inquired I, as soon as he was out of hearing, "what is the matter with Mr Handycock, that he is so cross to you ?" "Vy, my dear, it is one of the misfortunes of mater-mony, that ven the husband's put out, the vife is sure to have her share of it.

Mr Handycock must have lost money on 'Change, and then he always comes home cross.

Ven he vins, then he is as merry as a cricket." "Are you people coming down to dinner ?" roared Mr Handycock from below.
"Yes, my dear," replied the lady, "I thought that you were washing your hands." We descended into the dining-room, where we found that Mr Handycock had already devoured two of the whitings, leaving only one on the dish for his wife and me.

"Vould you like a little bit of viting, my dear ?" said the lady to me.