"Now you're all right, Mr. Appleton. You keep on like that, and I'll nip in when I'm ready. If I stop and do a spout between the verses you can stop too, only don't forget to weigh in with the chorus. But when I dance, you keep on. See? That'll be all right, then. Ahem!"
Missy had spoken behind her hand in a stage whisper; now she turned to her audience and struck an attitude that made them stare. The smile upon her face opened their eyes still wider--it was so brazen, so insinuating, and yet so terribly artificial. And with that smile she began to dance, very slowly and rhythmically, plucking at her dress and showing her ankles, while Appleton thumped carefully on, little knowing what he was missing. And when it seemed as though no song was coming the song began.
But the dance went on through all, being highly appropriate, at all events to verse one, which ran:--
"Yuss! A fling and a slide with a pal, _in_side,
_The_ spot for a 'op is in front o' the shop
Here Missy and the music stopped together, Mr. Appleton holding his fingers in readiness over the next notes, while Missy interrupted her dance, too, to step forward and open fire upon her audience in the following prose:--
"Now that's just 'ow the 'ole thing 'appened. They wouldn't give my pore 'Arry no peace--catch _them!_ Well, 'Arry'e done 's level--I will say that for 'im. 'E took on three at once; but 'is legs wouldn't go round fast enough, an' 'is arms wouldn't go round at all--catch _them!_ Now would you believe it? When 'e's 'ad enough o' the others--a nasty common low lot they was, too--'e 'as the cheek to come to yours truly. But--catch _me!_ 'No, 'Arry,' I sez, 'ere's 2_d._ to go and 'ave a pint o' four-'alf,' I sez, 'w'ich you must _need_ it,' I sez--just like that. So 'e goes an' 'as 'alf a dozen. That's my 'Arry all over, that is! An' w'en 'e come back 'e 'as the impidence to ax me again. But I give 'im a look like this," cried Missy, leering horribly at the venerable Crowdy. "Such a look! Just like that"--with a repetition of the leer for Mrs. Teesdale's special benefit--"'cause I seen what was wrong with 'im in the twinkling of a dress-improver. An' after that--chorus-up, Mr. Appleton!--why, after that--