"You are wrong, Mrs. Meeken—what I shall be wanting—what I am wanting is a valet," said the Honorable John Ruffin, in a very firm voice.
"And well did I know it," said Mrs. Meeken, cheering up. "An' offen an' offen 'ave I said to myself, 'If Mr. Ruffin would let me walet them there rooms of 'is, 'e wouldn't know 'isself, or them."
Another whiff of Mrs. Meeken struck on the sensitive nostrils of the Honorable John Ruffin, and he shuddered. "I can well believe it," he said coldly. "But I am afraid that the proprieties would not permit of my being valeted by a married woman."
"But Hi'm a widder, sir—a lone widder," said Mrs. Meeken.
"Thrice fortunate Mr. Meeken," said the Honorable John Ruffin. "But there would be even less propriety in a widowed valet than a married one."
"But you'll be wantin' some one to attend to you, sir. That there little 'uzzy can't do rooms like these properly. She can't keep them clean—not what I calls clean," cried Mrs. Meeken, persisting in her effort to realize her golden vision of gin.
"I should think that very likely indeed," said the Honorable John Ruffin. "But it is wiser to endure
