’To-morrow you will have a hard day’s work.  You must purchase a great many things that will be necessary for travelling that I could not buy.  The rest we can get in Paris.  I have invited my friends, Sir John and Lady Simpson, and their son and daughter, to the wedding, which I have fixed for the day after to-morrow.  One of the reasons for my not being able to come to you yesterday was that I must be a fortnight in the parish where we are to be married before we are married.  I just ran down by the night train, took the fly, and met you; and shall make up my lost night by sleeping in town, for certainly I slept nowhere yesterday.  Can’t sleep in a train like mother; always feel too excited.’

‘I don’t like those grand people,’ interrupted Netta, pouting.

’You will know them directly.  But don’t let out anything about the farm, or father and mother; papa and mamma now, little coz.  Miss Simpson guesses it is an elopement, I think, but I haven’t told her so.  They are very great friends of mine; very grand people.’

‘Quite like Lady Nugent, I suppose,’ suggests Netta.

’Quite—­grander indeed.  Well, I have ordered the wedding-breakfast, carriages, everything.  Never had such fun in my life.  It was quite an excitement.  You don’t know half my talents yet.’

‘Suppose brother Rowland were to hear of it?’ says Netta, frightened at the idea.

Howel laughs aloud, and awakes his mother.

’He is east, we are west, my dear cousin.  He is amongst the plebeians, we the patricians; he is canaille, we are noblesse.’

‘What are they, Howel?’

‘’Tis a pleasure to be hearing you talk, Howel,’ says Mrs Jenkins, yawning and rubbing her eyes.

’I was saying, mother, that we are to have a grand wedding, and you must take care not to let anything come out about the shop, faugh! or, indeed, not talk much to the friends I have asked—­Lady Simpson, for instance,’

’Oh, yes? you was telling me of her.  Wasn’t it when you was dining with Prince Albert wanst, and was wanting that money of my Griffey?’

‘Do hold your tongue, mother,’ shouts Howel, shuddering; he always shivers when he hears his father’s name.

He sees a head trying to peep through the curtain, and thinks it best to hold his tongue for a time, then continues,—­

’I mean, mother, don’t mention my dining with the prince, or any of these old stories, to the Simpsons.  You must both be very careful of what you say.  I shall show you as much as I can of London to-morrow, mother, as you will be obliged to return the day after.’

’Deet now, I did be thinking I should stay a week in London, now I am going there for the first time in my life?  I’ll be staying after you, Howel, bach.  I’ve plenty of money now.’

’You shall come up again to meet us when we return; but you must be at home to see to the house, and let us know what is said of our doings.  You see we shall go direct to Paris, stay some time abroad, and then come and settle at home.  Won’t we astonish the county!  Mr and Mrs Howel Jenkins will be no longer the Howel and Netta of old days; we shall be the upon, not the fawners!’