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232 |
THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH. |
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transports. There never were congratulations so endearing and delicious, as those she lavished on herself and on the Bride.
Amid the tumult of emotions in his breast, the honest Carrier had stood, confounded. Flying, now, towards her, Dot stretched out her hand to stop him, and retreated as before.
" No, John, no ! Hear all! Don't love me any more, John, till you've heard every word I have to say. It was wrong to have a secret from you, John. I'm very sorry. I didn't think it any harm, till I came and sat down by you on the little stool last night; but when I knew by what was written in your face, that you had seen me walking in the gallery with Edward, and knew what you thought; I felt how giddy and how wrong it was. But oh, dear John, how could you, could you, think so !"
Little woman, how she sobbed again! John Peerybingle would have caught her in his arms. But no; she wouldn't let him.
" Don't love me yet, please John ! Not for a long time yet! When I was sad about this intended marriage, dear, it was because I remembered May and Edward such young lovers ; and knew that her heart was far away from Tackleton. You believe that, now. Don't you, John ?"
John was going to make another rush at this appeal; but she stopped him again.
" No; keep there, please, John ! When I laugh at you, as I sometimes do, John; and call you clumsy, and a dear old goose, and names of that sort, it's because I love you John, so well; and take such pleasure in your ways; and wouldn't see you altered in the least respect to have you made a King to-morrow."
" Hooroar ! " said Caleb with unusual vigour. " My opinion !"
" And when I speak of people being middle-aged, and steady, John, and pretend that we are a humdrum couple, going on in a jog-trot sort of way, it's only because I'm such a silly little thing, John, that I like, sometimes, to act a kind of Play with Baby, and all that: and make believe."
She saw that he was coming; and stopped him again. But she was very nearly too late.
" No, don't love me for another minute or two, if you please, John! What I want most to tell you, I have kept to the last. My dear, good, generous John; when we were talking the other night about the Cricket, I had it on my lips to say, that at first I did not love you quite so dearly as I do now; that when I first came home here, I was half afraid I mightn't learn to love you every bit as well as I hoped and prayed I might—being so very young, John. But, dear John, every day and hour, I loved you |
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