hard and undeserved, for
Gabriel had applied himself to the meal with a very promising appetite,
until it was spoilt by Mrs Varden herself, and Joe had as great a liking
for the female society of the locksmith's house--or for a part of it at
all events--as man could well entertain.

But he had no opportunity to say anything in his own defence, for at
that moment Dolly herself appeared, and struck him quite dumb with her
beauty. Never had Dolly looked so handsome as she did then, in all the
glow and grace of youth, with all her charms increased a hundredfold by
a most becoming dress, by a thousand little coquettish ways which nobody
could assume with a better grace, and all the sparkling expectation of
that accursed party. It is impossible to tell how Joe hated that party
wherever it was, and all the other people who were going to it, whoever
they were.

And she hardly looked at him--no, hardly looked at him. And when
the chair was seen through the open door coming blundering into the
workshop, she actually clapped her hands and seemed glad to go. But Joe
gave her his arm--there was some comfort in that--and handed her into
it. To see her seat herself inside, with her laughing eyes brighter
than diamonds, and her hand--surely she had the prettiest hand in
the world--on the ledge of the open window, and her little finger
provokingly and pertly tilted up, as if it wondered why Joe didn't
squeeze or kiss it! To think how well one or two of the modest snowdrops
would have become that delicate bodice, and how they were lying
neglected outside the parlour window! To see how Miggs looked on with
a face expressive of knowing how all this loveliness was got up, and
of being in the secret of every string and pin and hook and eye, and
of saying it ain't half as real as you think, and I could look quite as
well myself if I took the pains! To hear that provoking precious little
scream when the chair was hoisted on its poles, and to catch that
transient but not-to-be-forgotten vision of the happy face within--what
torments and aggravations, and yet what delights were these! The very
chairmen seemed favoured rivals as they bore her down the street.

There never was such an alteration in a small room in a small time as in
that parlour when they went back to finish tea. So dark, so deserted,
so perfectly disenchanted. It seemed such sheer nonsense to be sitting
tamely there, when she was at a dance with more lovers than man could
cal