said the Squire, "it will be my turn next to explain for
self and freens. The doctor says my nephew that's to be maun tak' a sea
voyage for the guid o's health, and Marjorie, wha sud be here by richts
to speak for hersel', is gaun tae kill twa birds wi' ane stane, tak care
o' her husband, and spier aifter her graun' fortune. But the meenister's
wantin' tae take her mither wi' him; sae the gudewife and me, we're
thinkin' o' sendin' aa the weans tae Susan at Dromore, and makin' a
pairty o't. We canna leave Bridesdale unproteckit, that means Sylvanus
and Tryphena 'll be pit in chairge till we're back, and they gang to
Sylvanus' ain fairm. Ony mair intentions?" Mr. Perrowne sought the
chairman's eye, and addressed him. "Mr. Chairman, unaccustomed as I am
to public speaking (derisive cheers), and unwilling as we are to obtrude
our private affairs upon what Virgil calls the _ignobile vulgus_ (hisses
from Messrs. Errol and Bangs and the doctor), nevertheless, on this
festive occasion, we owvercome our natural modesty and spirit of
self-effacement (more derision) sow far as to remark that Cubbyholes (a
dig from Miss Halbert) will be ready for our occupation in the second
week of September, about which time the Bishop will make a visitation,
including the office of howly matrimony. Meanwhile the bride elect will
look forward with pleasant expectation to those precious tyings of the
nuptial knot, which will enrich her housekeeping account with liberal
marriage fees." Here the parson was compelled to stop, since one of the
indignant Miss Fanny's hands was over his mouth, and the other actively
engaged in boxing his mercenary ears. "Ony mair intentions?" cried the
Squire again, warming to his work. "Pahdon me, Misteh Chaihman, foh
rising a second time, but I am given to undehstand by Madame Du Plessis
that Maguffin, who accompanies us, has matyimonial intentions towahds
her new maid, Sophronia Ann Trelawny Tolliveh; that is all, suh." "I see
Maister Bangs has a word for the chair," said the Squire, when the
colonel ended. The detective, for the first time in his life, looked
uneasy. "I ownly wented to sey, Mr. Chairman, thet, within a year, when
you are all beck frem yore visit, Mrs. Metilda Rawdon hes premised to
bekem Mrs. Bengs. I may also edd thet, frem kenversation with Ben
Towner, I hev learned thet the priest is soon to selemnize his union
with Miss Bridget Sellivan." The company was aghast, and cried out as
one man, "What is