I must confess that I could not help feeling rather angry with Mrs. Jellyby myself, seeing and hearing this neglected girl and knowing how much of bitterly satirical truth there was in what she said.

“If it wasn’t that we had been intimate when you stopped at our house,” pursued Miss Jellyby, “I should have been ashamed to come here to-day, for I know what a figure I must seem to you two.  But as it is, I made up my mind to call, especially as I am not likely to see you again the next time you come to town.”

She said this with such great significance that Ada and I glanced at one another, foreseeing something more.

“No!” said Miss Jellyby, shaking her head.  “Not at all likely!  I know I may trust you two.  I am sure you won’t betray me.  I am engaged.”

“Without their knowledge at home?” said I.

“Why, good gracious me, Miss Summerson,” she returned, justifying herself in a fretful but not angry manner, “how can it be otherwise?  You know what Ma is—­and I needn’t make poor Pa more miserable by telling him.”

“But would it not he adding to his unhappiness to marry without his knowledge or consent, my dear?” said I.

“No,” said Miss Jellyby, softening.  “I hope not.  I should try to make him happy and comfortable when he came to see me, and Peepy and the others should take it in turns to come and stay with me, and they should have some care taken of them then.”

There was a good deal of affection in poor Caddy.  She softened more and more while saying this and cried so much over the unwonted little home-picture she had raised in her mind that Peepy, in his cave under the piano, was touched, and turned himself over on his back with loud lamentations.  It was not until I had brought him to kiss his sister, and had restored him to his place on my lap, and had shown him that Caddy was laughing (she laughed expressly for the purpose), that we could recall his peace of mind; even then it was for some time conditional on his taking us in turns by the chin and smoothing our faces all over with his hand.  At last, as his spirits were not equal to the piano, we put him on a chair to look out of window; and Miss Jellyby, holding him by one leg, resumed her confidence.

“It began in your coming to our house,” she said.

We naturally asked how.

“I felt I was so awkward,” she replied, “that I made up my mind to be improved in that respect at all events and to learn to dance.  I told Ma I was ashamed of myself, and I must be taught to dance.  Ma looked at me in that provoking way of hers as if I wasn’t in sight, but I was quite determined to be taught to dance, and so I went to Mr. Turveydrop’s Academy in Newman Street.”

“And was it there, my dear—­” I began.

“Yes, it was there,” said Caddy, “and I am engaged to Mr. Turveydrop.  There are two Mr. Turveydrops, father and son.  My Mr. Turveydrop is the son, of course.  I only wish I had been better brought up and was likely to make him a better wife, for I am very fond of him.”