第29章 Chirp the Third(9)

What I want most to tell you, I have kept to the last.My dear,good, generous John, when we were talking the other night about theCricket, I had it on my lips to say, that at first I did not loveyou quite so dearly as I do now; that when I first came home here,I was half afraid I mightn't learn to love you every bit as well asI hoped and prayed I might - being so very young, John! But, dearJohn, every day and hour I loved you more and more.And if I couldhave loved you better than I do, the noble words I heard you saythis morning, would have made me.But I can't.All the affectionthat I had (it was a great deal, John) I gave you, as you welldeserve, long, long ago, and I have no more left to give.Now, mydear husband, take me to your heart again! That's my home, John;and never, never think of sending me to any other!'

You never will derive so much delight from seeing a glorious littlewoman in the arms of a third party, as you would have felt if youhad seen Dot run into the Carrier's embrace.It was the mostcomplete, unmitigated, soul-fraught little piece of earnestnessthat ever you beheld in all your days.

You maybe sure the Carrier was in a state of perfect rapture; andyou may be sure Dot was likewise; and you may be sure they allwere, inclusive of Miss Slowboy, who wept copiously for joy, andwishing to include her young charge in the general interchange ofcongratulations, handed round the Baby to everybody in succession,as if it were something to drink.

But, now, the sound of wheels was heard again outside the door; andsomebody exclaimed that Gruff and Tackleton was coming back.

Speedily that worthy gentleman appeared, looking warm andflustered.

'Why, what the Devil's this, John Peerybingle!' said Tackleton.

'There's some mistake.I appointed Mrs.Tackleton to meet me atthe church, and I'll swear I passed her on the road, on her wayhere.Oh! here she is! I beg your pardon, sir; I haven't thepleasure of knowing you; but if you can do me the favour to sparethis young lady, she has rather a particular engagement thismorning.'

'But I can't spare her,' returned Edward.'I couldn't think ofit.'

'What do you mean, you vagabond?' said Tackleton.

'I mean, that as I can make allowance for your being vexed,'

returned the other, with a smile, 'I am as deaf to harsh discoursethis morning, as I was to all discourse last night.'

The look that Tackleton bestowed upon him, and the start he gave!

'I am sorry, sir,' said Edward, holding out May's left hand, andespecially the third finger; 'that the young lady can't accompanyyou to church; but as she has been there once, this morning,perhaps you'll excuse her.'

Tackleton looked hard at the third finger, and took a little pieceof silver-paper, apparently containing a ring, from his waistcoat-pocket.

'Miss Slowboy,' said Tackleton.'Will you have the kindness tothrow that in the fire? Thank'ee.'

'It was a previous engagement, quite an old engagement, thatprevented my wife from keeping her appointment with you, I assureyou,' said Edward.

'Mr.Tackleton will do me the justice to acknowledge that Irevealed it to him faithfully; and that I told him, many times, Inever could forget it,' said May, blushing.

'Oh certainly!' said Tackleton.'Oh to be sure.Oh it's allright.It's quite correct.Mrs.Edward Plummer, I infer?'

'That's the name,' returned the bridegroom.

'Ah, I shouldn't have known you, sir,' said Tackleton, scrutinisinghis face narrowly, and making a low bow.'I give you joy, sir!'

'Thank'ee.'

'Mrs.Peerybingle,' said Tackleton, turning suddenly to where shestood with her husband; 'I am sorry.You haven't done me a verygreat kindness, but, upon my life I am sorry.You are better thanI thought you.John Peerybingle, I am sorry.You understand me;that's enough.It's quite correct, ladies and gentlemen all, andperfectly satisfactory.Good morning!'

With these words he carried it off, and carried himself off too:

merely stopping at the door, to take the flowers and favours fromhis horse's head, and to kick that animal once, in the ribs, as ameans of informing him that there was a screw loose in hisarrangements.

Of course it became a serious duty now, to make such a day of it,as should mark these events for a high Feast and Festival in thePeerybingle Calendar for evermore.Accordingly, Dot went to workto produce such an entertainment, as should reflect undying honouron the house and on every one concerned; and in a very short spaceof time, she was up to her dimpled elbows in flour, and whiteningthe Carrier's coat, every time he came near her, by stopping him togive him a kiss.That good fellow washed the greens, and peeledthe turnips, and broke the plates, and upset iron pots full of coldwater on the fire, and made himself useful in all sorts of ways:

while a couple of professional assistants, hastily called in fromsomewhere in the neighbourhood, as on a point of life or death, ranagainst each other in all the doorways and round all the corners,and everybody tumbled over Tilly Slowboy and the Baby, everywhere.

Tilly never came out in such force before.Her ubiquity was thetheme of general admiration.She was a stumbling-block in thepassage at five-and-twenty minutes past two; a man-trap in thekitchen at half-past two precisely; and a pitfall in the garret atfive-and-twenty minutes to three.The Baby's head was, as it were,a test and touchstone for every description of matter, - animal,vegetable, and mineral.Nothing was in use that day that didn'tcome, at some time or other, into close acquaintance with it.

Then, there was a great Expedition set on foot to go and find outMrs.Fielding; and to be dismally penitent to that excellentgentlewoman; and to bring her back, by force, if needful, to behappy and forgiving.And when the Expedition first discovered her,she would listen to no terms at all, but said, an unspeakablenumber of times, that ever she should have lived to see the day!