He did not offer to shake hands, but sat down awkwardly on the extreme edge of a small chair, and gaped about the room as if he had never seen it before.
"He communicated his shyness to myself.

I could not think what to say, and we sat for a while in painful silence.
"'Well,' I said, at last, plunging head-foremost into the matter, according to the method of shy people, 'and how's 'Liza ?' "'Oh, _she's_ all right,' he replied, keeping his eyes fixed on his hat.
"'Have you done it ?' I continued.
"'Done wot ?' he asked, looking up.
"'Married her.' "'No,' he answered, returning to the contemplation of his hat.
"'Has she refused you then ?' I said.
"'I ain't arst 'er,' he returned.
"He seemed unwilling to explain matters of his own accord.

I had to put the conversation into the form of a cross-examination.
"'Why not ?' I asked; 'don't you think she cares for you any longer ?' "He burst into a harsh laugh.

'There ain't much fear o' that,' he said; 'it's like 'aving an Alcock's porous plaster mashed on yer, blowed if it ain't.

There's no gettin' rid of 'er.