"You may change your mind, Mrs. Riley, some day," returned Richling, a little archly.
"Ha! ha!" She tossed her head and laughed with good-natured scorn. "Nivver a fear o' that, Mr. Richlin'!" Her brogue was apt to broaden when pleasure pulled down her dignity. "And, if I did, it wuddent be for the likes of no I-talian Dago, if id's him ye're a-dthrivin' at,--not intinding anny disrespect to your friend, Mr. Richlin', and indeed I don't deny he's a perfect gintleman,--but, indeed, Mr. Richlin', I'm just after thinkin' that you and yer lady wouldn't have no self-respect for Kate Riley if she should be changing her name."
"Still you were thinking about it," said Richling, with a twinkle.
"Ah! ha! ha! Indeed I wasn', an' ye needn' be t'rowin' anny o' yer slyness on me. Ye know ye'd have no self-respect fur me. No; now ye know ye wuddent,--wud ye?"
"Why, Mrs. Riley, of course we would. Why--why not?" He stood in the door-way, about to take his leave. "You may be sure we'll always be glad of anything that will make you the happier." Mrs. Riley looked so grave that he checked his humor.
"But in the nixt life, Mr. Richlin', how about that?"
"There? I suppose we shall simply each love all in absolute perfection. We'll"--
"We'll never know the differ," interposed Mrs. Riley.
"That's it," said Richling, smiling again. "And so I say,--and I've always said,--if a person _feels_ like marrying again, let him do it."
"Have ye, now? Well, ye're just that good, Mr. Richlin'."
"Yes," he responded, trying to be grave, "that's about my measure."
"No, I wouldn't. I couldn't. But I should like--in good earnest, Mrs. Riley, I should like, now, the comfort of knowing that you were not to pass all the rest of your days in widowhood."
"Ah! ged out, Mr. Richlin'!" She failed in her effort to laugh. "Ah! ye're sly!" She changed her attitude and drew a breath.
"No," said Richling, "no, honestly. I should feel that you deserved better at this world's hands than that, and that the world deserved better of you. I find two people don't make a world, Mrs. Riley, though often they think they do. They certainly don't when one is gone."
"Mr. Richlin'," exclaimed Mrs. Riley, drawing back and waving her hand sweetly, "stop yer flattery! Stop ud! Ah! ye're a-feeling yer oats, Mr. Richlin'. An' ye're a-showin' em too, ye air. Why, I hered ye was lookin' terrible, and here ye're lookin' just splendud!"