he don't look
proper."

Establishing the lady to be a spurious article, however, what was one to
think of a married man in company with such? "Oh no! it ain't that!" Mrs.
Berry returned immediately on the charitable tack. "Belike it's some one
of his acquaintance 've married her for her looks, and he've just met
her.... Why it'd be as bad as my Berry!" the relinquished spouse of Berry
ejaculated, in horror at the idea of a second man being so monstrous in
wickedness. "Just coupled, too!" Mrs. Berry groaned on the suspicious
side of the debate. "And such a sweet young thing for his wife! But no,
I'll never believe it. Not if he tell me so himself! And men don't do
that," she whimpered.

Women are swift at coming to conclusions in these matters; soft women
exceedingly swift: and soft women who have been betrayed are rapid beyond
measure. Mrs. Berry had not cogitated long ere she pronounced distinctly
and without a shadow of dubiosity: "My opinion is--married or not
married, and wheresomever he pick her up--she's nothin' more nor less
than a Bella Donna!" as which poisonous plant she forthwith registered
the lady in the botanical note-book of her brain. It would have
astonished Mrs. Mount to have heard her person so accurately hit off at a
glance.

In the evening Richard made good his promise, accompanied by Ripton. Mrs.
Berry opened the door to them. She could not wait to get him into the
parlour. "You're my own blessed babe; and I'm as good as your mother,
though I didn't suck ye, bein' a maid!" she cried, falling into his arms,
while Richard did his best to support the unexpected burden. Then
reproaching him tenderly for his guile--at mention of which Ripton
chuckled, deeming it his own most honourable portion of the plot--Mrs.
Berry led them into the parlour, and revealed to Richard who she was, and
how she had tossed him, and hugged him, and kissed him all over, when he
was only that big--showing him her stumpy fat arm. "I kissed ye from head
to tail, I did," said Mrs. Berry, "and you needn't be ashamed of it. It's
be hoped you'll never have nothin' worse come t'ye, my dear!"

Richard assured her he was not a bit ashamed, but warned her that she
must not do it now, Mrs. Berry admitting it was out of the question now,
and now that he had a wife, moreover. The young men laughed, and Ripton
laughing over-loudly drew on himself Mrs. Berry's attention: "But that
Mr. Thompson there--however he can look me in the face af