ked hard at
him, applied them to his ear again, again drew back, and finally
whispered--'The name is Joseph Willet. Hush! I say no more.'

Having said that much, he beckoned the visitor with a mysterious aspect
to follow him to the parlour-door, where he announced him in the voice
of a gentleman-usher. 'Mr Chester.'

'And not Mr Ed'dard, mind,' said Sim, looking into the door again, and
adding this by way of postscript in his own person; 'it's his father.'

'But do not let his father,' said Mr Chester, advancing hat in hand, as
he observed the effect of this last explanatory announcement, 'do not
let his father be any check or restraint on your domestic occupations,
Miss Varden.'

'Oh! Now! There! An't I always a-saying it!' exclaimed Miggs, clapping
her hands. 'If he an't been and took Missis for her own daughter. Well,
she DO look like it, that she do. Only think of that, mim!'

'Is it possible,' said Mr Chester in his softest tones, 'that this is
Mrs Varden! I am amazed. That is not your daughter, Mrs Varden? No, no.
Your sister.'

'My daughter, indeed, sir,' returned Mrs V., blushing with great
juvenility.

'Ah, Mrs Varden!' cried the visitor. 'Ah, ma'am--humanity is indeed a
happy lot, when we can repeat ourselves in others, and still be young
as they. You must allow me to salute you--the custom of the country, my
dear madam--your daughter too.'

Dolly showed some reluctance to perform this ceremony, but was sharply
reproved by Mrs Varden, who insisted on her undergoing it that minute.
For pride, she said with great severity, was one of the seven deadly
sins, and humility and lowliness of heart were virtues. Wherefore she
desired that Dolly would be kissed immediately, on pain of her just
displeasure; at the same time giving her to understand that whatever
she saw her mother do, she might safely do herself, without being at the
trouble of any reasoning or reflection on the subject--which, indeed,
was offensive and undutiful, and in direct contravention of the church
catechism.

Thus admonished, Dolly complied, though by no means willingly; for there
was a broad, bold look of admiration in Mr Chester's face, refined and
polished though it sought to be, which distressed her very much. As she
stood with downcast eyes, not liking to look up and meet his, he gazed
upon her with an approving air, and then turned to her mother.

'My friend Gabriel (whose acquaintance I only made this very evening)
should be a