Dolly
supposed by the stage-coach, and looked at her lady mother, who finding
herself silently appealed to, dived down at least another fathom into
the Manual, and became unconscious of all earthly things.
'Martha--' said the locksmith.
'I hear you, Varden,' said his wife, without rising to the surface.
'I am sorry, my dear, you have such an objection to the Maypole and old
John, for otherways as it's a very fine morning, and Saturday's not
a busy day with us, we might have all three gone to Chigwell in the
chaise, and had quite a happy day of it.'
Mrs Varden immediately closed the Manual, and bursting into tears,
requested to be led upstairs.
'What is the matter now, Martha?' inquired the locksmith.
To which Martha rejoined, 'Oh! don't speak to me,' and protested in
agony that if anybody had told her so, she wouldn't have believed it.
'But, Martha,' said Gabriel, putting himself in the way as she was
moving off with the aid of Dolly's shoulder, 'wouldn't have believed
what? Tell me what's wrong now. Do tell me. Upon my soul I don't know.
Do you know, child? Damme!' cried the locksmith, plucking at his wig in
a kind of frenzy, 'nobody does know, I verily believe, but Miggs!'
'Miggs,' said Mrs Varden faintly, and with symptoms of approaching
incoherence, 'is attached to me, and that is sufficient to draw down
hatred upon her in this house.
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