lied Mr Lillyvick, shaking his head nervously: 'no--of course
not.'

'But how come you both here, if you're going to be married, Mr
Lillyvick?' asked Nicholas.

'Why, that's what I came to explain to you,' replied the collector of
water-rate. 'The fact is, we have thought it best to keep it secret from
the family.'

'Family!' said Nicholas. 'What family?'

'The Kenwigses of course,' rejoined Mr Lillyvick. 'If my niece and the
children had known a word about it before I came away, they'd have gone
into fits at my feet, and never have come out of 'em till I took an oath
not to marry anybody--or they'd have got out a commission of lunacy, or
some dreadful thing,' said the collector, quite trembling as he spoke.

'To be sure,' said Nicholas. 'Yes; they would have been jealous, no
doubt.'

'To prevent which,' said Mr Lillyvick, 'Henrietta Petowker (it
was settled between us) should come down here to her friends, the
Crummleses, under pretence of this engagement, and I should go down to
Guildford the day before, and join her on the coach there, which I did,
and we came down from Guildford yesterday together. Now, for fear you
should be writing to Mr Noggs, and might say anything about us, we have
thought it best to let you into the secret. We shall be married from the
Crummleses' lodgings, and shall be delighted to see you--either before
church or at breakfast-time, which you like. It won't be expensive,
you know,' said the collector, highly anxious to prevent any
misunderstanding on this point; 'just muffins and coffee, with perhaps a
shrimp or something of that sort for a relish, you know.'

'Yes, yes, I understand,' replied Nicholas. 'Oh, I shall be most
happy to come; it will give me the greatest pleasure. Where's the lady
stopping--with Mrs Crummles?'

'Why, no,' said the collector; 'they couldn't very well dispose of
her at night, and so she is staying with an acquaintance of hers, and
another young lady; they both belong to the theatre.'

'Miss Snevellicci, I suppose?' said Nicholas.

'Yes, that's the name.'

'And they'll be bridesmaids, I presume?' said Nicholas.

'Why,' said the collector, with a rueful face, 'they WILL have four
bridesmaids; I'm afraid they'll make it rather theatrical.'

'Oh no, not at all,' replied Nicholas, with an awkward attempt to
convert a laugh into a cough. 'Who may the four be? Miss Snevellicci of
course--Miss Ledrook--'

'The--the phenomenon,' groaned the collector.

'