BARNEY AND KING LEAR
257
the honor—mind ye—av boordin’ me! Not a wurrd, m’am. Not a wurrd, on yer soul. It ’ud ruin all!’’
Mrs. Cook said not a word—not even to Barney. But if Barney had rewritten King Lear, and been crowned with laurel by all the Academies of civilization, he could not have come home to a more proudly devoted household than sat down with him at the table that night to hear him talk about his doings for the day. He saw it in their faces. “Waiter,” he said to Annie, “dish up the best in the house. I don’ care what it costs. I ’ve got my salary raised. Hurry up.”
