第16章 Chirp The Second (7)

Tackleton had brought his leg of mutton, and, wonderful to relate, a tart besides - but we don't mind a little dissipation when our brides are in the case.we don't get married every day - and in addition to these dainties, there were the Veal and Ham-Pie, and 'things,' as Mrs.Peerybingle called them; which were chiefly nuts and oranges, and cakes, and such small deer.When the repast was set forth on the board, flanked by Caleb's contribution, which was a great wooden bowl of smoking potatoes (he was prohibited, by solemn compact, from producing any other viands), Tackleton led his intended mother-in-law to the post of honour.For the better gracing of this place at the high festival, the majestic old soul had adorned herself with a cap, calculated to inspire the thoughtless with sentiments of awe.She also wore her gloves.But let us be genteel, or die!

Caleb sat next his daughter; Dot and her old schoolfellow were side by side; the good Carrier took care of the bottom of the table.

Miss Slowboy was isolated, for the time being, from every article of furniture but the chair she sat on, that she might have nothing else to knock the Baby's head against.

As Tilly stared about her at the dolls and toys, they stared at her and at the company.The venerable old gentlemen at the street doors (who were all in full action) showed especial interest in the party, pausing occasionally before leaping, as if they were listening to the conversation, and then plunging wildly over and over, a great many times, without halting for breath - as in a frantic state of delight with the whole proceedings.

Certainly, if these old gentlemen were inclined to have a fiendish joy in the contemplation of Tackleton's discomfiture, they had good reason to be satisfied.Tackleton couldn't get on at all; and the more cheerful his intended bride became in Dot's society, the less he liked it, though he had brought them together for that purpose.

For he was a regular dog in the manger, was Tackleton; and when they laughed and he couldn't, he took it into his head, immediately, that they must be laughing at him.

'Ah, May!' said Dot.'Dear dear, what changes! To talk of those merry school-days makes one young again.'

'Why, you an't particularly old, at any time; are you?' said Tackleton.

'Look at my sober plodding husband there,' returned Dot.'He adds twenty years to my age at least.Don't you, John?'

'Forty,' John replied.

'How many YOU'll add to May's, I am sure I don't know,' said Dot, laughing.'But she can't be much less than a hundred years of age on her next birthday.'

'Ha ha!' laughed Tackleton.Hollow as a drum, that laugh though.

And he looked as if he could have twisted Dot's neck, comfortably.

'Dear dear!' said Dot.'Only to remember how we used to talk, at school, about the husbands we would choose.I don't know how young, and how handsome, and how gay, and how lively, mine was not to be! And as to May's! - Ah dear! I don't know whether to laugh or cry, when I think what silly girls we were.'

May seemed to know which to do; for the colour flushed into her face, and tears stood in her eyes.

'Even the very persons themselves - real live young men - were fixed on sometimes,' said Dot.'We little thought how things would come about.I never fixed on John I'm sure; I never so much as thought of him.And if I had told you, you were ever to be married to Mr.Tackleton, why you'd have slapped me.Wouldn't you, May?'

Though May didn't say yes, she certainly didn't say no, or express no, by any means.

Tackleton laughed - quite shouted, he laughed so loud.John Peerybingle laughed too, in his ordinary good-natured and contented manner; but his was a mere whisper of a laugh, to Tackleton's.

'You couldn't help yourselves, for all that.You couldn't resist us, you see,' said Tackleton.'Here we are! Here we are!'

'Where are your gay young bridegrooms now!'

'Some of them are dead,' said Dot; 'and some of them forgotten.

Some of them, if they could stand among us at this moment, would not believe we were the same creatures; would not believe that what they saw and heard was real, and we COULD forget them so.No! they would not believe one word of it!'

'Why, Dot!' exclaimed the Carrier.'Little woman!'

She had spoken with such earnestness and fire, that she stood in need of some recalling to herself, without doubt.Her husband's cheek was very gentle, for he merely interfered, as he supposed, to shield old Tackleton; but it proved effectual, for she stopped, and said no more.There was an uncommon agitation, even in her silence, which the wary Tackleton, who had brought his half-shut eye to bear upon her, noted closely, and remembered to some purpose too.

May uttered no word, good or bad, but sat quite still, with her eyes cast down, and made no sign of interest in what had passed.

The good lady her mother now interposed, observing, in the first instance, that girls were girls, and byegones byegones, and that so long as young people were young and thoughtless, they would probably conduct themselves like young and thoughtless persons: