CHAPTER XXVIII

CONCLUSION

Aunt Dorothy Grumbit did not die!  Her gentle spirit had nearly fled; but Martin’s return and Martin’s tender nursing brought her round, and she gradually regained all her former strength and vigour.  Yes, to the unutterable joy of Martin, to the inexpressible delight of Mr. Arthur Jollyboy and Barney, and to the surprise and complete discomfiture of the young doctor who shook his head and said “There is no hope,” Aunt Dorothy Grumbit recovered? and was brought back in health and in triumph to her old cottage at Ashford!

Moreover, she was arrayed again in the old bed-curtain chintz with the flowers as big as saucers, and the old high-crowned cap.  A white kitten was got, too, so like the one that used to be Martin’s playmate, that no one could discover a hair of difference.  So remarkable was this, that Martin made inquiry, and found that it was actually the grand-daughter of the old kitten, which was still alive and well; so he brought it back too, and formally installed it in the cottage along with its grandchild.

There was a great house-warming on the night of the day in which Aunt Dorothy Grumbit was brought back.  Mr. Arthur Jollyboy was there—­of course; and the vicar was there; and the pursy doctor who used to call Martin “a scamp;” and the school-master; and last, though not least, Barney O’Flannagan was there.  And they all had tea, during which dear Aunt Dorothy smiled sweetly on everybody and said nothing,—­and, indeed, did nothing, except that once or twice she put additional sugar and cream into Martin’s cup when he was not looking, and stroked one of his hands continually.  After tea Martin related his adventures in Brazil, and Barney helped him; and these two talked more that night than any one could have believed it possible for human beings to do, without the aid of steam lungs!  And the doctor listened, and the vicar and school-master questioned, and old Mr. Jollyboy roared and laughed till he became purple in the face—­particularly at the sallies of Barney.  As for old Aunt Dorothy Grumbit, she listened when Martin spoke.  When Martin was silent she became stone deaf!

In the course of time Mr. Jollyboy made Martin his head clerk; and then, becoming impatient, he made him his partner off-hand.  Then he made Barney O’Flannagan an overseer in the warehouses; and when the duties of the day were over, the versatile Irishman became his confidential servant, and went to sup and sleep at the Old Hulk; which, he used to remark, was quite a natural and proper and decidedly comfortable place to come to an anchor in.