nd anything I could have--I wish he
wouldn't put ALL the gravel on your side, Kate, my dear, though, and
leave nothing but mould for me.'

'Dear mama,' returned Kate, hastily, 'take this seat--do--to oblige me,
mama.'

'No, indeed, my dear. I shall keep my own side,' said Mrs Nickleby.
'Well! I declare!'

Kate looked up inquiringly.

'If he hasn't been,' said Mrs Nickleby, 'and got, from somewhere or
other, a couple of roots of those flowers that I said I was so fond of,
the other night, and asked you if you were not--no, that YOU said YOU
were so fond of, the other night, and asked me if I wasn't--it's the
same thing. Now, upon my word, I take that as very kind and attentive
indeed! I don't see,' added Mrs Nickleby, looking narrowly about her,
'any of them on my side, but I suppose they grow best near the gravel.
You may depend upon it they do, Kate, and that's the reason they are all
near you, and he has put the gravel there, because it's the sunny side.
Upon my word, that's very clever now! I shouldn't have had half as much
thought myself!'

'Mama,' said Kate, bending over her work so that her face was almost
hidden, 'before you were married--'

'Dear me, Kate,' interrupted Mrs Nickleby, 'what in the name of goodness
graciousness makes you fly off to the time before I was married, when
I'm talking to you about his thoughtfulness and attention to me? You
don't seem to take the smallest interest in the garden.'

'Oh! mama,' said Kate, raising her face again, 'you know I do.'

'Well then, my dear, why don't you praise the neatness and prettiness
with which it's kept?' said Mrs Nickleby. 'How very odd you are, Kate!'

'I do praise it, mama,' answered Kate, gently. 'Poor fellow!'

'I scarcely ever hear you, my dear,' retorted Mrs Nickleby; 'that's all
I've got to say.' By this time the good lady had been a long while upon
one topic, so she fell at once into her daughter's little trap, if trap
it were, and inquired what she had been going to say.

'About what, mama?' said Kate, who had apparently quite forgotten her
diversion.

'Lor, Kate, my dear,' returned her mother, 'why, you're asleep or
stupid! About the time before I was married.'

'Oh yes!' said Kate, 'I remember. I was going to ask, mama, before you
were married, had you many suitors?'

'Suitors, my dear!' cried Mrs Nickleby, with a smile of wonderful
complacency. 'First and last, Kate, I must have had a dozen at least.'

'Mama!' returned Kate,