“Ah-h-h!” growledthejourneyman, betweenhisteeth, “I’dholdyou, ifyouwasmywife.I’dholdyouunderthepump, andchokeitoutofyou.”

(“Itellyou, letheralone,” saidJoe.)

“Oh! Tohearhim!” criedmysister, withaclapofherhandsandascream, together—whichwashernextstage.“Tohearthenameshe’sgivingme! ThatOrlick! Inmyownhouse! Me, amarriedwoman! Withmyhusbandstandingby! O! O!” Heremysister, afterafitofclappingsandscreamings, beatherhandsuponherbosomanduponherknees, andthrewhercapoff, andpulledherhairdown—, shemadeadashatthedoor, whichIhadfortunatelylocked.

WhatcouldthewretchedJoedonow, afterhisdisregardedparentheticalinterruptions, butstanduptohisjourneyman, ; andfurtherwhetherhewasmanenoughtocomeon? OldOrlickfeltthatthesituationadmittedofnothinglessthancomingon, andwasonhisdefencestraightway; so, withoutsomuchaspullingofftheirsingedandburntaprons, theywentatoneanother, , ifanymaninthatneighborhoodcouldstanduplongagainstJoe, , asifhehadbeenofnomoreaccountthanthepaleyounggentleman, wasverysoonamongthecoal-dust, , Joeunlockedthedoorandpickedupmysister, whohaddroppedinsensibleatthewindow (butwhohadseenthefightfirst, Ithink), andwhowascarriedintothehouseandlaiddown, andwhowasrecommendedtorevive, andwoulddonothingbutstruggleandclenchherhandsinJoe’, camethatsingularcalmandsilencewhichsucceedalluproars; andthen, withthevaguesensationwhichIhavealwaysconnectedwithsuchalull—namely, thatitwasSunday, andsomebodywasdead—Iwentup-stairstodressmyself.