a,' added the locksmith, good-humouredly, 'I
must say that.'

'You did not begin it, Varden!' exclaimed his wife, opening her eyes
very wide and looking round upon the company, as though she would say,
You hear this man! 'You did not begin it, Varden! But you shall not say
I was out of temper. No, you did not begin it, oh dear no, not you, my
dear!'

'Well, well,' said the locksmith. 'That's settled then.'

'Oh yes,' rejoined his wife, 'quite. If you like to say Dolly began it,
my dear, I shall not contradict you. I know my duty. I need know it,
I am sure. I am often obliged to bear it in mind, when my inclination
perhaps would be for the moment to forget it. Thank you, Varden.' And
so, with a mighty show of humility and forgiveness, she folded her
hands, and looked round again, with a smile which plainly said, 'If you
desire to see the first and foremost among female martyrs, here she is,
on view!'

This little incident, illustrative though it was of Mrs Varden's
extraordinary sweetness and amiability, had so strong a tendency to
check the conversation and to disconcert all parties but that excellent
lady, that only a few monosyllables were uttered until Edward withdrew;
which he presently did, thanking the lady of the house a great many
times for her condescension, and whispering in Dolly's ear that he would
call on the morrow, in case there should happen to be an answer to the
note--which, indeed, she knew without his telling, as Barnaby and his
friend Grip had dropped in on the previous night to prepare her for the
visit which was then terminating.

Gabriel, who had attended Edward to the door, came back with his hands
in his pockets; and, after fidgeting about the room in a very uneasy
manner, and casting a great many sidelong looks at Mrs Varden (who
with the calmest countenance in the world was five fathoms deep in
the Protestant Manual), inquired of Dolly how she meant to go. 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 quit