rtered for it next minute, was the mildest, amiablest,
forgivingest-spirited, longest-sufferingest female as ever she could
have believed; the mere narration of whose excellencies had worked such
a wholesome change in the mind of her own sister-in-law, that, whereas,
before, she and her husband lived like cat and dog, and were in the
habit of exchanging brass candlesticks, pot-lids, flat-irons, and other
such strong resentments, they were now the happiest and affectionatest
couple upon earth; as could be proved any day on application at Golden
Lion Court, number twenty-sivin, second bell-handle on the right-hand
doorpost. After glancing at herself as a comparatively worthless vessel,
but still as one of some desert, she besought her to bear in mind that
her aforesaid dear and only mother was of a weakly constitution and
excitable temperament, who had constantly to sustain afflictions in
domestic life, compared with which thieves and robbers were as nothing,
and yet never sunk down or gave way to despair or wrath, but, in
prize-fighting phraseology, always came up to time with a cheerful
countenance, and went in to win as if nothing had happened. When Miggs
finished her solo, her mistress struck in again, and the two together
performed a duet to the same purpose; the burden being, that Mrs Varden
was persecuted perfection, and Mr Varden, as the representative of
mankind in that apartment, a creature of vicious and brutal habits,
utterly insensible to the blessings he enjoyed. Of so refined a
character, indeed, was their talent of assault under the mask of
sympathy, that when Dolly, recovering, embraced her father tenderly,
as in vindication of his goodness, Mrs Varden expressed her solemn hope
that this would be a lesson to him for the remainder of his life,
and that he would do some little justice to a woman's nature ever
afterwards--in which aspiration Miss Miggs, by divers sniffs and
coughs, more significant than the longest oration, expressed her entire
concurrence.

But the great joy of Miggs's heart was, that she not only picked up
a full account of what had happened, but had the exquisite delight of
conveying it to Mr Tappertit for his jealousy and torture. For that
gentleman, on account of Dolly's indisposition, had been requested to
take his supper in the workshop, and it was conveyed thither by Miss
Miggs's own fair hands.

'Oh Simmun!' said the young lady, 'such goings on to-day! Oh, gracious
me, Simmun!'