She was in a communicative humour, and told him the story of the waiter, whom she described as being “a fellow like Mike, who made love to every woman.”  She told him of three or four other fellows, whose rooms she used to go to.  They made her drink; she didn’t like the beastly stuff; and then she didn’t know what she did.  There were stories of the landlady in whose house she lodged, and the woman who lived up-stairs.  She had two fellows; one she called Squeaker—­she didn’t care for him; and another called Harry, and she did care for him; but the landlady’s daughter called him a s——­, because he seldom gave her anything, and always had a bath in the morning.

“How can a girl be respectable under such circumstances?” Lizzie asked, pathetically.  “The landlady used to tell me to go out and get my living!”

“Yes; but I never let you want.  You never wrote to me for money that I didn’t send it.”

“Yes; I know you did, but sometimes I think she stopped the letters.  Besides, a girl cannot be respectable if she isn’t married.  Where’s the use?”

He strove to think, and failing to think, he said—­

“If you really mean what you say, I will marry you.”  He heard each word; then a sob sounded in the dark, and turning impulsively he took Lizzie in his arms.

“No, no,” she cried, “it would never do at all.  Your family—­what would they say?  They would not receive me.”

“What do I care for my family?  What has my family ever done for me?”

For an hour they argued, Lizzie refusing, declaring it was useless, insisting that she would then belong to no set; Frank assuring her that hand-in-hand and heart-to-heart they would together, with united strength and love, win a place for themselves in the world.  They dozed in each other’s arms.

Rousing himself, Frank said—­

“Kiss me once more, little wifie; good-night, little wife ...”

“Good-night, dear.”

“Call me little husband; I shan’t go to sleep until you do.”

“Good-night, little husband.”

“Say little hussy.”

“Good-night, little hussy.”

Next morning, however, found Lizzie violently opposed to all idea of marriage.  She said he didn’t mean it; he said he did mean it, and he caught up a Bible and swore he was speaking the truth.  He put his back against the door, and declared she should not leave until she had promised him—­until she gave him her solemn oath that she would become his wife.  He was not going to see her go to the dogs—­no, not if he could help it; then she lost her temper and tried to push past him.  He restrained her, urging again and again, and with theatrical emphasis, that he thought it right, and would do his duty.  Then they argued, they kissed, and argued again.

That night he walked up and down the pavement in front of her door; but the servant-girl caught sight of him through the kitchen-window and the area-railings, and ran up-stairs to warn Miss Baker, who was taking tea with two girl friends.