THE PASSING SHADOW
The winds and tides rose and fell a certain number of times, the earth moved
round the sun a certain number of times, the ship upon the ocean made her voyage
safely, and brought a baby-Bella home. Then who so blest and happy as Mrs John
Rokesmith, saving and excepting Mr John Rokesmith!
'Would you not like to be rich NOW, my darling?'
'How can you ask me such a question, John dear? Am I not rich?'
These were among the first words spoken near the baby Bella as she lay
asleep. She soon proved to be a baby of wonderful intelligence, evincing the
strongest objection to her grandmother's society, and being invariably seized
with a painful acidity of the stomach when that dignified lady honoured her with
any attention.
It was charming to see Bella contemplating this baby, and finding out her own
dimples in that tiny reflection, as if she were looking in the glass without
personal vanity. Her cherubic father justly remarked to her husband that the
baby seemed to make her younger than before, reminding him of the days when she
had a pet doll and used to talk to it as she carried it about. The world might
have been challenged to produce another baby who had such a store of pleasant
nonsense said and sung to it, as Bella said and sung to this baby; or who was
dressed and undressed as often in four-and-twenty hours as Bella dressed and
undressed this baby; or who was held behind doors and poked out to stop its
father's way when he came home, as this baby was; or, in a word, who did half
the number of baby things, through the lively invention of a gay and proud young
mother, that this inexhaustible baby did.
The inexhaustible baby was two or three months old, when Bella began to
notice a cloud upon her husband's brow. Watching it, she saw a gathering and
deepening anxiety there, which caused her great disquiet. More than once, she
awoke him muttering in his sleep; and, though he muttered nothing worse than her
own name, it was plain to her that his restlessness originated in some load of
care. Therefore, Bella at length put in her claim to divide this load, and hear
her half of it.
'You know, John dear,' she said, cheerily reverting to their former
conversation, 'that I hope I may safely be trusted in great things. And it
surely cannot be a little thing that causes you so much uneasiness. It's very
considerate of you to try to hide from me that you are uncomfortable about
something, but it's quite impossible to be done, John love.'
'I admit that I am rather uneasy, my own.'
'Then please to tell me what about, sir.'
But no, he evaded that. 'Never mind!' thought Bella, resolutely. 'John
requires me to put perfect faith in him, and he shall not be disappointed.'
She went up to London one day, to meet him, in order that they might make
some purchases. She found him waiting for her at her journey's end, and they
walked away together through the streets. He was in gay spirits, though still
harping on that notion of their being rich; and he said, now let them make
believe that yonder fine carriage was theirs, and that it was waiting to take
them home to a fine house they had; what would Bella, in that case, best like to
find in the house? Well! Bella didn't know: already having everything she
wanted, she couldn't say. But, by degrees she was led on to confess that she
would like to have for the inexhaustible baby such a nursery as never was seen.
It was to be 'a very rainbow for colours', as she was quite sure baby noticed
colours; and the staircase was to be adorned with the most exquisite flowers, as
she was absolutely certain baby noticed flowers; and there was to be an aviary
somewhere, of the loveliest little birds, as there was not the smallest doubt in
the world that baby noticed birds. Was there nothing else? No, John dear. The
predilections of the inexhaustible baby being provided for, Bella could think of
nothing else.
They were chatting on in this way, and John had suggested, 'No jewels for
your own wear, for instance?' and Bella had replied laughing. O! if he came to
that, yes, there might be a beautiful ivory case of jewels on her
dressing-table; when these pictures were in a moment darkened and blotted out.
They turned a corner, and met Mr Lightwood.
He stopped as if he were petrified by the sight of Bella's husband, who in
the same moment had changed colour.
'Mr Lightwood and I have met before,' he said.
'Met before, John?' Bella repeated in a tone of wonder. 'Mr Lightwood told me
he had never seen you.'
'I did not then know that I had,' said Lightwood, discomposed on her account.
I believed that I had only heard of--Mr Rokesmith.' With an emphasis on the
name.
'When Mr Lightwood saw me, my love,' observed her husband, not avoiding his
eye, but looking at him, 'my name was Julius Handford.'
Julius Handford! The name that Bella had so often seen in old newspapers,
when she was an inmate of Mr Boffin's house! Julius Handford, who had been
publicly entreated to appear, and for intelligence of whom a reward had been
publicly offered!
'I would have avoided mentioning it in your presence,' said Lightwood to
Bella, delicately; 'but since your husband mentions it himself, I must confirm
his strange admission. I saw him as Mr Julius Handford, and I afterwards
(unquestionably to his knowledge) took great pains to trace him out.'
'Quite true. But it was not my object or my interest,' said Rokesmith,
quietly, 'to be traced out.'
Bella looked from the one to the other, in amazement.
'Mr Lightwood,' pursued her husband, 'as chance has brought us face to face
at last--which is not to be wondered at, for the wonder is, that, in spite of
all my pains to the contrary, chance has not confronted us together sooner--I
have only to remind you that you have been at my house, and to add that I have
not changed my residence.'
'Sir' returned Lightwood, with a meaning glance towards Bella, 'my position
is a truly painful one. I hope that no complicity in a very dark transaction may
attach to you, but you cannot fail to know that your own extraordinary conduct
has laid you under suspicion.'
'I know it has,' was all the reply.
'My professional duty,' said Lightwood hesitating, with another glance
towards Bella, 'is greatly at variance with my personal inclination; but I
doubt, Mr Handford, or Mr Rokesmith, whether I am justified in taking leave of
you here, with your whole course unexplained.'
Bella caught her husband by the hand.
'Don't be alarmed, my darling. Mr Lightwood will find that he is quite
justified in taking leave of me here. At all events,' added Rokesmith, 'he will
find that I mean to take leave of him here.'
'I think, sir,' said Lightwood, 'you can scarcely deny that when I came to
your house on the occasion to which you have referred, you avoided me of a set
purpose.'
'Mr Lightwood, I assure you I have no disposition to deny it, or intention to
deny it. I should have continued to avoid you, in pursuance of the same set
purpose, for a short time longer, if we had not met now. I am going straight
home, and shall remain at home to-morrow until noon. Hereafter, I hope we may be
better acquainted. Good-day.'
Lightwood stood irresolute, but Bella's husband passed him in the steadiest
manner, with Bella on his arm; and they went home without encountering any
further remonstrance or molestation from any one.
When they had dined and were alone, John Rokesmith said to his wife, who had
preserved her cheerfulness: 'And you don't ask me, my dear, why I bore that
name?'
'No, John love. I should dearly like to know, of course;' (which her anxious
face confirmed;) 'but I wait until you can tell me of your own free will. You
asked me if I could have perfect faith in you, and I said yes, and I meant it.'
It did not escape Bella's notice that he began to look triumphant. She wanted
no strengthening in her firmness; but if she had had need of any, she would have
derived it from his kindling face.
'You cannot have been prepared, my dearest, for such a discovery as that this
mysterious Mr Handford was identical with your husband?'
'No, John dear, of course not. But you told me to prepare to be tried, and I
prepared myself.'
He drew her to nestle closer to him, and told her it would soon be over, and
the truth would soon appear. 'And now,' he went on, 'lay stress, my dear, on
these words that I am going to add. I stand in no kind of peril, and I can by
possibility be hurt at no one's hand.'
'You are quite, quite sure of that, John dear?'
'Not a hair of my head! Moreover, I have done no wrong, and have injured no
man. Shall I swear it?'
'No, John!' cried Bella, laying her hand upon his lips, with a proud look.
'Never to me!'
'But circumstances,' he went on '--I can, and I will, disperse them in a
moment--have surrounded me with one of the strangest suspicions ever known. You
heard Mr Lightwood speak of a dark transaction?'
'Yes, John.'
'You are prepared to hear explicitly what he meant?'
'Yes, John.'
'My life, he meant the murder of John Harmon, your allotted husband.'
With a fast palpitating heart, Bella grasped him by the arm. 'You cannot be
suspected, John?'
'Dear love, I can be--for I am!'
There was silence between them, as she sat looking in his face, with the
colour quite gone from her own face and lips. 'How dare they!' she cried at
length, in a burst of generous indignation. 'My beloved husband, how dare they!'
He caught her in his arms as she opened hers, and held her to his heart.
'Even knowing this, you can trust me, Bella?'
'I can trust you, John dear, with all my soul. If I could not trust you, I
should fall dead at your feet.'
The kindling triumph in his face was bright indeed, as he looked up and
rapturously exclaimed, what had he done to deserve the blessing of this dear
confiding creature's heart! Again she put her hand upon his lips, saying,
'Hush!' and then told him, in her own little natural pathetic way, that if all
the world were against him, she would be for him; that if all the world
repudiated him, she would believe him; that if he were infamous in other eyes,
he would be honoured in hers; and that, under the worst unmerited suspicion, she
could devote her life to consoling him, and imparting her own faith in him to
their little child.
A twilight calm of happiness then succeeding to their radiant noon, they
remained at peace, until a strange voice in the room startled them both. The
room being by that time dark, the voice said, 'Don't let the lady be alarmed by
my striking a light,' and immediately a match rattled, and glimmered in a hand.
The hand and the match and the voice were then seen by John Rokesmith to belong
to Mr Inspector, once meditatively active in this chronicle.
'I take the liberty,' said Mr Inspector, in a business-like manner, 'to bring
myself to the recollection of Mr Julius Handford, who gave me his name and
address down at our place a considerable time ago. Would the lady object to my
lighting the pair of candles on the chimneypiece, to throw a further light upon
the subject? No? Thank you, ma'am. Now, we look cheerful.'
Mr Inspector, in a dark-blue buttoned-up frock coat and pantaloons, presented
a serviceable, half-pay, Royal Arms kind of appearance, as he applied his pocket
handkerchief to his nose and bowed to the lady.
'You favoured me, Mr Handford,' said Mr Inspector, 'by writing down your name
and address, and I produce the piece of paper on which you wrote it. Comparing
the same with the writing on the fly-leaf of this book on the table--and a sweet
pretty volume it is--I find the writing of the entry, 'Mrs John Rokesmith. From
her husband on her birthday"--and very gratifying to the feelings such memorials
are--to correspond exactly. Can I have a word with you?'
'Certainly. Here, if you please,' was the reply.
'Why,' retorted Mr Inspector, again using his pocket handkerchief, 'though
there's nothing for the lady to be at all alarmed at, still, ladies are apt to
take alarm at matters of business--being of that fragile sex that they're not
accustomed to them when not of a strictly domestic character--and I do generally
make it a rule to propose retirement from the presence of ladies, before
entering upon business topics. Or perhaps,' Mr Inspector hinted, 'if the lady
was to step up-stairs, and take a look at baby now!'
'Mrs Rokesmith,'--her husband was beginning; when Mr Inspector, regarding the
words as an introduction, said, 'Happy I am sure, to have the honour.' And
bowed, with gallantry.
'Mrs Rokesmith,' resumed her husband, 'is satisfied that she can have no
reason for being alarmed, whatever the business is.'
'Really? Is that so?' said Mr Inspector. 'But it's a sex to live and learn
from, and there's nothing a lady can't accomplish when she once fully gives her
mind to it. It's the case with my own wife. Well, ma'am, this good gentleman of
yours has given rise to a rather large amount of trouble which might have been
avoided if he had come forward and explained himself. Well you see! He DIDN'T
come forward and explain himself. Consequently, now that we meet, him and me,
you'll say--and say right--that there's nothing to be alarmed at, in my
proposing to him TO come forward--or, putting the same meaning in another form,
to come along with me--and explain himself.'
When Mr Inspector put it in that other form, 'to come along with me,' there
was a relishing roll in his voice, and his eye beamed with an official lustre.
'Do you propose to take me into custody?' inquired John Rokesmith, very
coolly.
'Why argue?' returned Mr Inspector in a comfortable sort of remonstrance;
'ain't it enough that I propose that you shall come along with me?'
'For what reason?'
Lord bless my soul and body!' returned Mr Inspector, 'I wonder at it in a man
of your education. Why argue?'
'What do you charge against me?'
'I wonder at you before a lady,' said Mr Inspector, shaking his head
reproachfully: 'I wonder, brought up as you have been, you haven't a more
delicate mind! I charge you, then, with being some way concerned in the Harmon
Murder. I don't say whether before, or in, or after, the fact. I don't say
whether with having some knowledge of it that hasn't come out.'
'You don't surprise me. I foresaw your visit this afternoon.'
'Don't!' said Mr Inspector. 'Why, why argue? It's my duty to inform you that
whatever you say, will be used against you.'
'I don't think it will.'
'But I tell you it will,' said Mr Inspector. 'Now, having received the
caution, do you still say that you foresaw my visit this afternoon?'
'Yes. And I will say something more, if you will step with me into the next
room.'
With a reassuring kiss on the lips of the frightened Bella, her husband (to
whom Mr Inspector obligingly offered his arm), took up a candle, and withdrew
with that gentleman. They were a full half-hour in conference. When they
returned, Mr Inspector looked considerably astonished.
'I have invited this worthy officer, my dear,' said John, 'to make a short
excursion with me in which you shall be a sharer. He will take something to eat
and drink, I dare say, on your invitation, while you are getting your bonnet
on.'
Mr Inspector declined eating, but assented to the proposal of a glass of
brandy and water. Mixing this cold, and pensively consuming it, he broke at
intervals into such soliloquies as that he never did know such a move, that he
never had been so gravelled, and that what a game was this to try the sort of
stuff a man's opinion of himself was made of! Concurrently with these comments,
he more than once burst out a laughing, with the half- enjoying and half-piqued
air of a man, who had given up a good conundrum, after much guessing, and been
told the answer. Bella was so timid of him, that she noted these things in a
half- shrinking, half-perceptive way, and similarly noted that there was a great
change in his manner towards John. That coming-along- with-him deportment was
now lost in long musing looks at John and at herself and sometimes in slow heavy
rubs of his hand across his forehead, as if he were ironing cut the creases
which his deep pondering made there. He had had some coughing and whistling
satellites secretly gravitating towards him about the premises, but they were
now dismissed, and he eyed John as if he had meant to do him a public service,
but had unfortunately been anticipated. Whether Bella might have noted anything
more, if she had been less afraid of him, she could not determine; but it was
all inexplicable to her, and not the faintest flash of the real state of the
case broke in upon her mind. Mr Inspector's increased notice of herself and
knowing way of raising his eyebrows when their eyes by any chance met, as if he
put the question 'Don't you see?' augmented her timidity, and, consequently, her
perplexity. For all these reasons, when he and she and John, at towards nine
o'clock of a winter evening went to London, and began driving from London
Bridge, among low-lying water-side wharves and docks and strange places, Bella
was in the state of a dreamer; perfectly unable to account for her being there,
perfectly unable to forecast what would happen next, or whither she was going,
or why; certain of nothing in the immediate present, but that she confided in
John, and that John seemed somehow to be getting more triumphant. But what a
certainty was that!
They alighted at last at the corner of a court, where there was a building
with a bright lamp and wicket gate. Its orderly appearance was very unlike that
of the surrounding neighbourhood, and was explained by the inscription POLICE
STATION.
'We are not going in here, John?' said Bella, clinging to him.
'Yes, my dear; but of our own accord. We shall come out again as easily,
never fear.'
The whitewashed room was pure white as of old, the methodical book-keeping
was in peaceful progress as of old, and some distant howler was banging against
a cell door as of old. The sanctuary was not a permanent abiding-place, but a
kind of criminal Pickford's. The lower passions and vices were regularly ticked
off in the books, warehoused in the cells, carted away as per accompanying
invoice, and left little mark upon it.
Mr Inspector placed two chairs for his visitors, before the fire, and
communed in a low voice with a brother of his order (also of a half-pay, and
Royal Arms aspect), who, judged only by his occupation at the moment, might have
been a writing-master, setting copies. Their conference done, Mr Inspector
returned to the fireplace, and, having observed that he would step round to the
Fellowships and see how matters stood, went out. He soon came back again,
saying, 'Nothing could be better, for they're at supper with Miss Abbey in the
bar;' and then they all three went out together.
Still, as in a dream, Bella found herself entering a snug old- fashioned
public-house, and found herself smuggled into a little three-cornered room
nearly opposite the bar of that establishment. Mr Inspector achieved the
smuggling of herself and John into this queer room, called Cosy in an
inscription on the door, by entering in the narrow passage first in order, and
suddenly turning round upon them with extended arms, as if they had been two
sheep. The room was lighted for their reception.
'Now,' said Mr Inspector to John, turning the gas lower; 'I'll mix with 'em
in a casual way, and when I say Identification, perhaps you'll show yourself.'
John nodded, and Mr Inspector went alone to the half-door of the bar. From
the dim doorway of Cosy, within which Bella and her husband stood, they could
see a comfortable little party of three persons sitting at supper in the bar,
and could hear everything that was said.
The three persons were Miss Abbey and two male guests. To whom collectively,
Mr Inspector remarked that the weather was getting sharp for the time of year.
'It need be sharp to suit your wits, sir,' said Miss Abbey. 'What have you
got in hand now?'
'Thanking you for your compliment: not much, Miss Abbey,' was Mr Inspector's
rejoinder.
'Who have you got in Cosy?' asked Miss Abbey.
'Only a gentleman and his wife, Miss.'
'And who are they? If one may ask it without detriment to your deep plans in
the interests of the honest public?' said Miss Abbey, proud of Mr Inspector as
an administrative genius.
'They are strangers in this part of the town, Miss Abbey. They are waiting
till I shall want the gentleman to show himself somewhere, for half a moment.'
'While they're waiting,' said Miss Abbey, 'couldn't you join us?'
Mr Inspector immediately slipped into the bar, and sat down at the side of
the half-door, with his back towards the passage, and directly facing the two
guests. 'I don't take my supper till later in the night,' said he, 'and
therefore I won't disturb the compactness of the table. But I'll take a glass of
flip, if that's flip in the jug in the fender.'
'That's flip,' replied Miss Abbey, 'and it's my making, and if even you can
find out better, I shall be glad to know where.' Filling him, with hospitable
hands, a steaming tumbler, Miss Abbey replaced the jug by the fire; the company
not having yet arrived at the flip-stage of their supper, but being as yet
skirmishing with strong ale.
'Ah--h!' cried Mr Inspector. 'That's the smack! There's not a Detective in
the Force, Miss Abbey, that could find out better stuff than that.'
'Glad to hear you say so,' rejoined Miss Abbey. 'You ought to know, if
anybody does.'
'Mr Job Potterson,' Mr Inspector continued, 'I drink your health. Mr Jacob
Kibble, I drink yours. Hope you have made a prosperous voyage home, gentlemen
both.'
Mr Kibble, an unctuous broad man of few words and many mouthfuls, said, more
briefly than pointedly, raising his ale to his lips: 'Same to you.' Mr Job
Potterson, a semi-seafaring man of obliging demeanour, said, 'Thank you, sir.'
'Lord bless my soul and body!' cried Mr Inspector. 'Talk of trades, Miss
Abbey, and the way they set their marks on men' (a subject which nobody had
approached); 'who wouldn't know your brother to be a Steward! There's a bright
and ready twinkle in his eye, there's a neatness in his action, there's a
smartness in his figure, there's an air of reliability about him in case you
wanted a basin, which points out the steward! And Mr Kibble; ain't he Passenger,
all over? While there's that mercantile cut upon him which would make you happy
to give him credit for five hundred pound, don't you see the salt sea shining on
him too?'
'YOU do, I dare say,' returned Miss Abbey, 'but I don't. And as for
stewarding, I think it's time my brother gave that up, and took his House in
hand on his sister's retiring. The House will go to pieces if he don't. I
wouldn't sell it for any money that could be told out, to a person that I
couldn't depend upon to be a Law to the Porters, as I have been.'
'There you're right, Miss,' said Mr Inspector. 'A better kept house is not
known to our men. What do I say? Half so well a kept house is not known to our
men. Show the Force the Six Jolly Fellowship Porters, and the Force--to a
constable--will show you a piece of perfection, Mr Kibble.'
That gentleman, with a very serious shake of his head, subscribed the
article.
'And talk of Time slipping by you, as if it was an animal at rustic sports
with its tail soaped,' said Mr Inspector (again, a subject which nobody had
approached); 'why, well you may. Well you may. How has it slipped by us, since
the time when Mr Job Potterson here present, Mr Jacob Kibble here present, and
an Officer of the Force here present, first came together on a matter of
Identification!'
Bella's husband stepped softly to the half-door of the bar, and stood there.
'How has Time slipped by us,' Mr Inspector went on slowly, with his eyes
narrowly observant of the two guests, 'since we three very men, at an Inquest in
this very house--Mr Kibble? Taken ill, sir?'
Mr Kibble had staggered up, with his lower jaw dropped, catching Potterson by
the shoulder, and pointing to the half-door. He now cried out: 'Potterson! Look!
Look there!' Potterson started up, started back, and exclaimed: 'Heaven defend
us, what's that!' Bella's husband stepped back to Bella, took her in his arms
(for she was terrified by the unintelligible terror of the two men), and shut
the door of the little room. A hurry of voices succeeded, in which Mr
Inspector's voice was busiest; it gradually slackened and sank; and Mr Inspector
reappeared. 'Sharp's the word, sir!' he said, looking in with a knowing wink.
'We'll get your lady out at once.' Immediately, Bella and her husband were under
the stars, making their way back, alone, to the vehicle they had kept in
waiting.
All this was most extraordinary, and Bella could make nothing of it but that
John was in the right. How in the right, and how suspected of being in the
wrong, she could not divine. Some vague idea that he had never really assumed
the name of Handford, and that there was a remarkable likeness between him and
that mysterious person, was her nearest approach to any definite explanation.
But John was triumphant; that much was made apparent; and she could wait for the
rest.
When John came home to dinner next day, he said, sitting down on the sofa by
Bella and baby-Bella: 'My dear, I have a piece of news to tell you. I have left
the China House.'
As he seemed to like having left it, Bella took it for granted that there was
no misfortune in the case.
'In a word, my love,' said John, 'the China House is broken up and abolished.
There is no such thing any more.'
'Then, are you already in another House, John?'
'Yes, my darling. I am in another way of business. And I am rather better
off.'
The inexhaustible baby was instantly made to congratulate him, and to say,
with appropriate action on the part of a very limp arm and a speckled fist:
'Three cheers, ladies and gemplemorums. Hoo--ray!'
'I am afraid, my life,' said John, 'that you have become very much attached
to this cottage?'
'Afraid I have, John? Of course I have.'
'The reason why I said afraid,' returned John, 'is, because we must move.'
'O John!'
'Yes, my dear, we must move. We must have our head-quarters in London now. In
short, there's a dwelling-house rent-free, attached to my new position, and we
must occupy it.'
'That's a gain, John.'
'Yes, my dear, it is undoubtedly a gain.'
He gave her a very blithe look, and a very sly look. Which occasioned the
inexhaustible baby to square at him with the speckled fists, and demand in a
threatening manner what he meant?
'My love, you said it was a gain, and I said it was a gain. A very innocent
remark, surely.'
'I won't,' said the inexhaustible baby, '--allow--you--to--make--
game--of--my--venerable--Ma.' At each division administering a soft facer with
one of the speckled fists.
John having stooped down to receive these punishing visitations, Bella asked
him, would it be necessary to move soon? Why yes, indeed (said John), he did
propose that they should move very soon. Taking the furniture with them, of
course? (said Bella). Why, no (said John), the fact was, that the house was--in
a sort of a kind of a way--furnished already.
The inexhaustible baby, hearing this, resumed the offensive, and said: 'But
there's no nursery for me, sir. What do you mean, marble-hearted parent?' To
which the marble-hearted parent rejoined that there was a--sort of a kind of
a--nursery, and it might be 'made to do'. 'Made to do?' returned the
Inexhaustible, administering more punishment, 'what do you take me for?' And was
then turned over on its back in Bella's lap, and smothered with kisses.
'But really, John dear,' said Bella, flushed in quite a lovely manner by
these exercises, 'will the new house, just as it stands, do for baby? That's the
question.'
'I felt that to be the question,' he returned, 'and therefore I arranged that
you should come with me and look at it, to-morrow morning.' Appointment made,
accordingly, for Bella to go up with him to- morrow morning; John kissed; and
Bella delighted.
When they reached London in pursuance of their little plan, they took coach
and drove westward. Not only drove westward, but drove into that particular
westward division, which Bella had seen last when she turned her face from Mr
Boffin's door. Not only drove into that particular division, but drove at last
into that very street. Not only drove into that very street, but stopped at last
at that very house.
'John dear!' cried Bella, looking out of window in a flutter. 'Do you see
where we are?'
'Yes, my love. The coachman's quite right.'
The house-door was opened without any knocking or ringing, and John promptly
helped her out. The servant who stood holding the door, asked no question of
John, neither did he go before them or follow them as they went straight
up-stairs. It was only her husband's encircling arm, urging her on, that
prevented Bella from stopping at the foot of the staircase. As they ascended, it
was seen to be tastefully ornamented with most beautiful flowers.
'O John!' said Bella, faintly. 'What does this mean?'
'Nothing, my darling, nothing. Let us go on.'
Going on a little higher, they came to a charming aviary, in which a number
of tropical birds, more gorgeous in colour than the flowers, were flying about;
and among those birds were gold and silver fish, and mosses, and water-lilies,
and a fountain, and all manner of wonders.
'O my dear John!' said Bella. 'What does this mean?'
'Nothing, my darling, nothing. Let us go on.'
They went on, until they came to a door. As John put out his hand to open it,
Bella caught his hand.
'I don't know what it means, but it's too much for me. Hold me, John, love.'
John caught her up in his arm, and lightly dashed into the room with her.
Behold Mr and Mrs Boffin, beaming! Behold Mrs Boffin clapping her hands in an
ecstacy, running to Bella with tears of joy pouring down her comely face, and
folding her to her breast, with the words: 'My deary deary, deary girl, that
Noddy and me saw married and couldn't wish joy to, or so much as speak to! My
deary, deary, deary, wife of John and mother of his little child! My loving
loving, bright bright, Pretty Pretty! Welcome to your house and home, my deary!'
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