y-peals
for a New Year; so lustily, so merrily, so happily, so gayly, that he
leapt upon his feet, and broke the spell that bound him.

* * * * *

"And whatever you do, father," said Meg, "don't eat tripe again without
asking some doctor whether it's likely to agree with you; for how you
_have_ been going on, Good gracious!"

She was working with her needle at the little table by the fire,
dressing her simple gown with ribbons for her wedding. So quietly happy,
so blooming and youthful, so full of beautiful promise, that he uttered
a great cry as if it were an Angel in his house; then flew to clasp her
in his arms.

But he caught his feet in the newspaper, which had fallen on the hearth,
and somebody came rushing in between them.

"No!" cried the voice of this same somebody; a generous and jolly voice
it was. "Not even you. Not even you. The first kiss of Meg in the New
Year is mine. Mine! I have been waiting outside the house this hour to
hear the Bells and claim it. Meg, my precious prize, a happy year! A
life of happy years, my darling wife!"

And Richard smothered her with kisses.

You never in all your life saw anything like Trotty after this. I don't
care where you have lived or what you have seen, you never in all your
life saw anything at all approaching him! He sat down in his chair and
beat his knees and cried; he sat down in his chair and beat his knees
and laughed; he sat down in his chair and beat his knees and laughed and
cried together; he got out of his chair and hugged Meg; he got out of
his chair and hugged Richard; he got out of his chair and hugged them
both at once; he kept running up to Meg and squeezing her fresh face
between his hands and kissing it, going from her backward not to lose
sight of it, and running up again like a figure in a magic lantern; and
whatever he did, he was constantly sitting himself down in this chair,
and never stopping in it for one single moment, being--that's the
truth--beside himself with joy.

"And to-morrow's your wedding-day, my pet!" cried Trotty. "Your real,
happy wedding-day!"

"To-day!" cried Richard, shaking hands with him. "To-day. The Chimes are
ringing in the New Year. Hear them!"

They WERE ringing! Bless their sturdy hearts, they WERE ringing! Great
Bells as they were; melodious, deep-mouthed, noble Bells; cast in no
common metal; made by no common founder; when had they ever chimed like
that before?

"But to-