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"I'll tell you what you've done," said Miss Tweddle. "You were asked here with Mr. Jauncy to meet my dear Leandy and his young lady, and get all four of you to know one another, and lay foundations for Friendship's flowery bonds.
Leander had heard enough; he burst in, with a white, horror-stricken face. Yes, it was too true! Matilda was lying back in his crazy armchair, her eyes fast closed, her lips parted. "Aunt," he said with difficulty, "she's not not dead?" "If she is not," returned his aunt, "it's no thanks to you, Leandy Tweddle! Go away; you can do no good to her now!"
That lady sitting there on the sofa is Mrs. Collum, and this gentleman is a friend of your gentleman's, and my nephew, Leandy." "Oh, thank you," said Bella, "but I've no occasion to be told Mr. Tweddle's name; we have met before haven't we, Mr. Tweddle?" He looked at her, and saw her brows clouded, and her nose and mouth with a pinched look about them. She was annoyed with him evidently but why?
"That's all you know about it, young lady," she said, archly; "for I stepped in there yesterday and asked him about it, to make sure, and he told me it was delivered over the very Saturday afternoon before. So, Leandy, oblige me for once, and put it on the dear girl's finger before us all; you needn't be bashful with us, I'm sure, either of you." "What is all this?" asked Mrs. Collum.
I'm a happy man; and I'm thinking of bringing my young lady soon to introduce to you. So I asked them to come and take a bit of dinner with me to-day, and I told him two o'clock sharp, I'm sure. Ah, there they are at last! That's Mr. Jauncy's knock, among a thousand." Leander started. "Aunt!" he cried, "you haven't asked Jauncy here to-day?" "Yes, I did, Leandy.
"I'm sure," said Miss Tweddle, "Leandy quite feels what an honour it is to him to look forward to such a connection as yours is. When I first heard of it, I said at once, 'Leandy, you can't never mean it; she won't look at you; it's no use your asking her, I said. And I quite scolded myself for ever bringing them together!" Mrs. Collum seemed inclined to follow suit, but she restrained herself.
Collum shut her eyes again. "If at his age he has not acquired the necessary skill for his line in life," she observed, "it would be a very melancholy thing to reflect upon." "Yes, wouldn't it?" agreed Miss Tweddle; "you say very truly, Mrs. Collum. But he's got ideas and notions beyond what you'd expect in a hairdresser haven't you, Leandy?
If this could only have been the end! But, while he was still throbbing with bliss, he heard a sound, at which his "bedded hair" started up and stood on end the ill-omened sound of a slow and heavy footfall. "Leandy," cried his aunt, "how strange you're looking!" "There's some one in the passage," he said, hoarsely. "I'll go and see her. Don't any of you come out."
If she's satisfied, Leandy, I'm not." "I can't help it, aunt," he said. "I've been true to Tillie all the way through, in spite of all appearances to the contrary as she knows now. And the more I explained, the less you'd understand about it; so we'll leave things where they are. But I've got back the ring, and now you shall see me put it on her finger."
Leandy, you know what I mean; and you've got it with you, I know, because you were told to bring it with you." "Miss Tweddle," interrupted Matilda, hurriedly, "not now. I I don't think Vidler has sent it back yet. I told you, you know "
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