and couldn't be got to say anything else, except, 'Now carry me tothe grave:' which seemed absurd, on account of her not being dead,or anything at all like it.After a time, she lapsed into a stateof dreadful calmness, and observed, that when that unfortunatetrain of circumstances had occurred in the Indigo Trade, she hadforeseen that she would be exposed, during her whole life, to everyspecies of insult and contumely; and that she was glad to find itwas the case; and begged they wouldn't trouble themselves abouther, - for what was she? oh, dear! a nobody! - but would forgetthat such a being lived, and would take their course in lifewithout her.From this bitterly sarcastic mood, she passed into anangry one, in which she gave vent to the remarkable expression thatthe worm would turn if trodden on; and, after that, she yielded toa soft regret, and said, if they had only given her theirconfidence, what might she not have had it in her power to suggest!
Taking advantage of this crisis in her feelings, the Expeditionembraced her; and she very soon had her gloves on, and was on herway to John Peerybingle's in a state of unimpeachable gentility;with a paper parcel at her side containing a cap of state, almostas tall, and quite as stiff, as a mitre.
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chaise; and they were behind their time; and fears wereentertained; and there was much looking out for them down the road;and Mrs.Fielding always would look in the wrong and morallyimpossible direction; and being apprised thereof, hoped she mighttake the liberty of looking where she pleased.At last they came:
a chubby little couple, jogging along in a snug and comfortablelittle way that quite belonged to the Dot family; and Dot and hermother, side by side, were wonderful to see.They were so likeeach other.
Then, Dot's mother had to renew her acquaintance with May's mother;and May's mother always stood on her gentility; and Dot's mothernever stood on anything but her active little feet.And old Dot -so to call Dot's father, I forgot it wasn't his right name, butnever mind - took liberties, and shook hands at first sight, andseemed to think a cap but so much starch and muslin, and didn'tdefer himself at all to the Indigo Trade, but said there was nohelp for it now; and, in Mrs.Fielding's summing up, was a good-natured kind of man - but coarse, my dear.
I wouldn't have missed Dot, doing the honours in her wedding-gown,my benison on her bright face! for any money.No! nor the goodCarrier, so jovial and so ruddy, at the bottom of the table.Northe brown, fresh sailor-fellow, and his handsome wife.Nor any oneamong them.To have missed the dinner would have been to miss asjolly and as stout a meal as man need eat; and to have missed theoverflowing cups in which they drank The Wedding-Day, would havebeen the greatest miss of all.
After dinner, Caleb sang the song about the Sparkling Bowl.As I'ma living man, hoping to keep so, for a year or two, he sang itthrough.
And, by-the-by, a most unlooked-for incident occurred, just as hefinished the last verse.
There was a tap at the door; and a man came staggering in, withoutsaying with your leave, or by your leave, with something heavy onhis head.Setting this down in the middle of the table,symmetrically in the centre of the nuts and apples, he said:
'Mr.Tackleton's compliments, and as he hasn't got no use for thecake himself, p'raps you'll eat it.'
And with those words, he walked off.
There was some surprise among the company, as you may imagine.
Mrs.Fielding, being a lady of infinite discernment, suggested thatthe cake was poisoned, and related a narrative of a cake, which,within her knowledge, had turned a seminary for young ladies, blue.
But she was overruled by acclamation; and the cake was cut by May,with much ceremony and rejoicing.
I don't think any one had tasted it, when there came another tap atthe door, and the same man appeared again, having under his arm avast brown-paper parcel.
'Mr.Tackleton's compliments, and he's sent a few toys for theBabby.They ain't ugly.'
After the delivery of which expressions, he retired again.