"I suppose you t'ought it was the Prince of Wales," replied Mrs. Malone.
"No, Hi didn't, 'cos w'y? 'Cos 'is Royal 'Ighness never hopens the door till Hi says come hin. 'Ee 's got better manners, 'ee 'as," replied the boy.
The landlady, not at all impressed, snapped her fingers scornfully
"That for you and the prince," she said, her nose in the air.
"Mrs. Malone, you 're a hanarchist," declared Buster, shocked beyond expression.
"Mr. Buster, you 're a liar," replied the landlady, promptly.
"You 're no judge, Mrs. Malone. We honly puts hup with hanarchy from Mr. Dyke, the poet, who comes 'ere and reads 'is treason reeking verses to Mr. Moore. One hanarchist on hour calling list is enough."
"You call me that name again, and I 'll smack you," exclaimed Mrs. Malone, pugnaciously.
"Smack me!" echoed Buster, in trepidation. "Hif you kisses me, Mrs. Malone, Hi 'll scream."
"Kiss you, indeed!" snorted the landlady, scornfully.
"Don't you dare," warned Buster, getting behind a table for greater safety.
"Hi am not hacquainted with no such hindividual. Hif you means Mr. Moore, 'ee 's hout."
Mrs. Malone looked her disbelief, and pointed grimly to the boots, which Buster had dropped upon the table.
"Oh," said Buster, a trifle dashed, but rallying immediately, "these is souvenirs of the great poet. This goes to 'is Reverence the Harchbishop of Canterbury to be used as a snuff box, and this his to stand on the dressing-table of Mrs. Fitz'erbert 'erself. She will put 'er combings hinto it."
"Thot jezebel?" ejaculated the woman, with a sniff of disdain.
"But Mrs. Fitz'erbert does n't 'ail from Jersey," corrected Buster. "She 's from Wicklow, Hireland."
"She 's not," cried Mrs. Malone in a high dudgeon. "We don't raise her kind there. Only dacent people like me comes from the Vale of Avoca."
"Say, tell us, his there hany more like you there?" he asked anxiously.
"There is," replied Mrs. Malone, proudly, "but none betther."
"Hit's a good thing Hireland is so far horf, is n't it?" said the boy in a tone of cordial congratulation.
Mrs. Malone threw a boot at him by way of answer, but, instead of striking Buster, it flew through the entrance to the adjoining room and was heard to strike noisily on the head board of the bed.