She was being pestered by half a dozen sparkish admirers who were somewhat taken aback when they discovered that the "gentlewoman who had never appear'd on any stage before" could more than hold her own in repartee and give the fops of fashion as good as or better than they gave.

How could they tell that the sprightly young budding actress had graduated in the wit and slang of the streets?
But she was pestered and peeved all the same, for she dearly wanted to talk to Gay and Spiller.

At last the modish gadflies got tired of having their smart talk turned against them, and one by one fell off, especially as Huddy, whose blunt speech was not much to their taste, came up and intruded without apology into their vapid banter.
"The gal's done well, Spiller," said Huddy, "and I'm obleeged to ye.

Now I want to get on the road and waste no time about it.

I ought to be at Woolwich afore a fortnight's over, then Dartford, Gravesend, Rochester, Maidstone, and so away on to Dover.