‘I scorn to flatter, my dear ma’am,’ said Tom Smart. ‘You deserve a very admirable husband, and whoever he is, he’ll be a very lucky man.’ As Tom said this his eye involuntarily wandered from the widow’s face, to the comforts around him.

The widow looked more puzzled than ever, and made an effort to rise. Tom gently pressed her hand, as if to detain her, and she kept her seat. Widows, gentlemen, are not usually timorous, as my uncle used to say.

‘I am sure I am very much obliged to you, sir, for your good opinion,’ said the buxom landlady, half laughing; ‘and if ever I marry again’—

‘If,’ said Tom Smart, looking very shrewdly out of the right-hand corner of his left eye. ‘If’—

‘Well,’ said the widow, laughing outright this time. ‘When I do, I hope I shall have as good a husband as you describe.’

‘Jinkins to wit,’ said Tom.

‘Lor, sir!’ exclaimed the widow.

‘Oh, don’t tell me,’ said Tom, ‘I know him.’

‘I am sure nobody who knows him, knows anything bad of him,’ said the widow, bridling up at the mysterious air with which Tom had spoken.

‘Hem!’ said Tom Smart.

The widow began to think it was high time to cry, so she took out her handkerchief, and inquired whether Tom wished to insult her: whether he thought it like a gentleman to take away the character of another gentleman behind his back: why, if he had got anything to say, he didn’t say it to the man, like a man, instead of terrifying a poor weak woman in that way; and so forth.

‘I’ll say it to him fast enough,’ said Tom, ‘only I want you to hear it first.’

‘What is it?’ inquired the widow, looking intently in Tom’s countenance.

‘I’ll astonish you,’ said Tom, putting his hand in his pocket.

‘If it is, that he wants money,’ said the widow, ‘I know that already, and you needn’t trouble yourself.’

‘Pooh, nonsense, that’s nothing,’ said Tom Smart. ‘I want money. ’Tan’t that.’

‘Oh, dear, what can it be?’ exclaimed the poor widow.

‘Don’t be frightened,’ said Tom Smart. He slowly drew forth the letter, and unfolded it. ‘You won’t scream?’ said Tom, doubtfully.

‘No, no,’ replied the widow; ‘let me see it.’

‘You won’t go fainting away, or any of that nonsense?’ said Tom.

‘No, no,’ returned the widow, hastily.

‘And don’t run out, and blow him up,’ said Tom, ‘because I’ll do all that for you; you had better not exert yourself.’

‘Well, well,’ said the widow, ‘let me see it.’