"Is the room ready?
Here's the lady." He drew Mollie, whose arm he retained in a close grasp, a little closer to him, and Mollie noticed that, for some reason, the ancient pair shrunk back, and looked as though they were a little afraid of her.
"The room's all ready," said the old woman, with a pair of glittering little eyes fixed, as if fascinated, on Mollie's pretty face.

"The missis and me's been a-tidying of it all day long.

Poor creeter! so young and so pretty! What a pity!" This last was _sotto voce_, but Mollie's quick ear caught it.

She looked up at her conductor, but cloak and hat and whiskers disguised him as effectually as the mask had done on other occasions.

She looked back at the old woman and held out her supplicating hands.
"My good woman, whoever you are, if you have a woman's heart, take pity on me.