Mrs. Chump started back from the man who bewildered her brain without stifling her sense of justice.  She knew that there was another way of putting the case, whereby she was not stuck in the criminal box; but the knowledge groped about blindly, and finding herself there, Mrs. Chump lost all idea of a counter-accusation, and resorted to wriggling and cajolery.  “Ah! ye look sweeter when ye’re kissin’ us, Mr. Wilfrud; and I wonder where the little Belloni has got to!”

“Tell me, that there maybe no misunderstanding.”  Wilfrid again tried to fix her.

“A rosy rosy fresh bit of a mouth she’s got! and pouts ut!”

Wilfrid took her hand.  “Answer me.”

“’Deed, and I’m modust, Mr. Wilfrud.”

“You do him the honour to be very fond of him.  I am to believe that?  Then you must consent to leave us at the end of a week.  You abandon any idea of an impossible ceremony, and of us you make friends and not enemies.”

At the concluding word, Mrs. Chump was no longer sustained by her excursive fancy.  She broke down, and wrung her hands, crying, “En’mies!  Pole’s children my en’mies!  Oh, Lord! that I should live to hear ut! and Pole, that knew me a bride first blushin’!”

She wailed and wept so that the ladies exchanged compassionate looks, and Arabella rose to press her hand and diminish her distress.  Wilfrid saw that his work would be undone in a moment, and waved her to her seat.  The action was perceived by Mrs. Chump.

“Oh, Mr. Wilfrud! my dear! and a soldier! and you that was my favourut!  If half my ‘ffection for Pole wasn’t the seein’ of you so big and handsome!  And all my ideas to get ye marrud, avery one so snug in a corner, with a neat little lawful ring on your fingers!  And you that go to keep me a lone woman, frightened of the darrk!  I’m an awful coward, that’s the truth.  And ye know that marr’ge is a holy thing! and it’s such a beaut’ful cer’mony!  Oh, Mr. Wilfrud!—­Lieuten’t y’ are! and I’d have bought ye a captain, and made the hearts o’ your sisters jump with bonnuts and gowns and jools.  Oh, Pole!  Pole! why did you keep me so short o’ cash?  It’s been the roon of me!  What did I care for your brooches and your gifts?  I wanted the good will of your daughters, sir—­ your son, Pole!”

Mrs. Chump stopped her flow of tears.  “Dear hearts!” she addressed her silent judges, in mysterious guttural tones, “is it becas ye think there’s a bit of a fear of...?”

The ladies repressed a violent inclination to huddle together, like cattle from the blowing East.

“I assure ye, ’taint poss’ble,” pursued Mrs. Chump.  “Why do I ’gree to marry Pole?  Just this, now.  We sit chirpin’ and chatterin’ of times that’s gone, and live twice over, Pole and myself; and I’m used to ’m; and I was soft to ’m when he was a merry buck, and you cradle lumber in ideas, mind! for my vartue was always un’mpeach’ble.  That’s just the reason.  So, come, and let’s all be friends, with money in our pockuts; yell find me as much of a garl as army of ye.  And, there! my weak time’s after my Porrt, my dears.  So, now ye know when I can’t be refusin’ a thing to ye.  Are we friends?—­say! are we?”