I don't know how young, and how
handsome, and how gay, and how lively, mine was
not to be! And as to May's -- Ah dear! I don't know
whether to laugh or cry, when I think what silly
girls we were.'
May seemed to know which to do; for the colour
flushed into her face, and tears stood in her eyes.
'Even the very persons themselves -- real live young
men -- were fixed on sometimes,' said Dot. 'We little
thought how things would come about. I never fixed
on John I'm sure; I never so much as thought of
him. And if I had told you, you were ever to be
married to Mr. Tackleton, why you'd have slapped
me. Wouldn't you, May?'
Though May didn't say yes, she certainly didn't
say no, or express no, by any means.
Tackleton laughed -- quite shouted, he laughed so
loud. John Peerybingle laughed too, in his ordinary
good-natured and contented manner; but his was a
mere whisper of a laugh, to Tackleton's.
'You couldn't help yourselves for all that. You
couldn't resist us, you see,' said Tackleton. 'Here we
are! Here we are! Where are your gay young bride-
grooms now!'
'Some of them are dead,' said Dot; 'and some of
them forgotten.
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