"Why now you put me in mind," said Mrs Belfield, "I saw a chair as soon
as I come in; and I was just going to say who's here, when this
gentleman's coming put it out of my head."

"Why this is what I call Hocus Pocus work!" said Mr Hobson; "but I
shall make free to ask the chairmen who they are waiting for."

Mrs Belfield, however, anticipated him; for running into the passage,
she angrily called out, "What do you do here, Misters? do you only come
to be out of the rain? I'll have no stand made of my entry, I can tell
you!"

"Why we are waiting for the lady," cried one of them.

"Waiting for a fiddlestick!" said Mrs Belfield; "here's no lady here,
nor no company; so if you think I'll have my entry filled up by two
hulking fellows for nothing, I shall shew you the difference. One's
dirt enough of one's own, without taking people out of the streets to
help one. Who do you think's to clean after you?"

"That's no business of ours; the lady bid us wait," answered the man.

Cecilia at this dispute could with pleasure have cast herself out of
the window to avoid being discovered; but all plan of escape was too
late; Mrs Belfield called aloud for her daughter, and then, returning
to the front parlour, said, "I'll soon know if there's company come to
my house without my knowing it!" and opened a door leading to the next
room!