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THE CHIMES. 87 |
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Hope so young and fresh; with Hope so buoyant, vigorous, and bright, despite the twenty years of work and poverty on which they had looked; that they became a voice to Trotty Veck, and said : " I think we have some business here—a little ! "
Trotty kissed the lips belonging to the eyes, and squeezed the blooming face between his hands.
"'Why, Pet," said Trotty. "What's to do? I didn't expect you to-day, Meg."
" Neither did I expect to come, father," cried the girl, nodding her head and smiling as she spoke. " But here I am ! And not alone ; not alone !"
"Why you don't mean to say," observed Trotty, looking curiously at a covered basket which she carried in her hand, "that |
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" Smell it, father dear," said Meg. " Only smell it! "
Trotty was going to lift up the cover at once, in a great hurry, when she gaily interposed her hand.
" No, no, no," said Meg, with the glee of a child. " Lengthen it out a little. Let me just lift up the corner ; just the lit-tle ti-ny cor-ner, you know," said Meg, suiting the action to the word with the utmost gentleness, and speaking very softly, as if she were afraid of being overheard by something inside the basket; "there. Now. What's that ?"
Toby took the shortest possible sniff at the edge of the basket, and cried out in a rapture :
" Why, it's hot!"
" It's burning hot! " cried Meg. " Ha, ha, ha ! It's scalding hot!"
" Ha, ha, ha ! " roared Toby, with a sort of kick. " It's scalding hot."
"But what is it, father?" said Meg. "Come! You haven't guessed what it is. And you must guess what it is. I can't think of taking it out, till you guess what it is. Don't be in such a hurry ! Wait a minute ! A little bit more of the cover. Now guess!"
Meg was in a perfect fright lest he should guess right too soon ; shrinking away, as she held the basket towards him; curling up her pretty shoulders; stopping her ear with her hand, as if by so doing she could keep the right word out of Toby's lips; and laughing softly the whole time.
Meanwhile Toby, putting a hand on each knee, bent down his nose to the basket, and took a long inspiration at the lid; the grin upon his withered face expanding in the process, as if he were inhaling laughing gas. |
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