ham liked Annette. She thought her a sensible
girl of uncultivated sensibilities, the reverse of thousands; not
commonplace, therefore; and that the sensibilities were expanding was
to be seen in her gradual unreadiness to talk of her engagement to Mr.
Tinman, though her intimacy with Mary warmed daily. She considered
she was bound to marry the man at some distant date, and did not feel
unhappiness yet. She had only felt uneasy when she had to greet and
converse with her intended; especially when the London young lady had
been present. Herbert's departure relieved her of the pressing sense
of contrast. She praised him to Mary for his extreme kindness to her
father, and down in her unsounded heart desired that her father might
appreciate it even more than she did.

Herbert drove into Crikswich at night, and stopped at Crickledon's,
where he heard that Van Diemen was dining with Tinman.

Crickledon the carpenter permitted certain dry curves to play round his
lips like miniature shavings at the name of Tinman; but Herbert asked,
"What is it now?" in vain, and he went to Crickledon the cook.

This union of the two Crickledons, male and female; was an ideal one,
such as poor women dream of; and men would do the same, if they knew how
poor they are. Each had a profession, each was independent of the other,
each supported the fabric. Consequently there was mutual respect, as
between two pillars of a house. Each saw the other's faults with a sly
wink to the world, and an occasional interchange of sarcasm that was
tonic, very strengthening to the wits without endangering the habit of
affection. Crickledon the cook stood for her own opinions, and directed
the public conduct of Crickledon the carpenter; and if he went astray
from the line she marked out, she put it down to human nature, to which
she was tolerant. He, when she had not followed his advice, ascribed it
to the nature of women. She never said she was the equal of her husband;
but the carpenter proudly acknowledged that she was as good as a man,
and he bore with foibles derogatory to such high stature, by teaching
himself to observe a neatness of domestic and general management that
told him he certainly was not as good as a woman. Herbert delighted in
them. The cook regaled the carpenter with skilful, tasty, and economic
dishes; and the carpenter, obedient to her supplications, had promised,
in the event of his outliving her, that no hands but his should have
the mak