as not the man who would influence her
in any way in the disposal of it.

After tea, the two gents walked away together, and Gus told me that
Smithers had asked him a thousand questions about the office, about
Brough, about me and my wife, and everything concerning us. "You are a
lucky fellow, Mr. Hoskins, and seem to be the friend of this charming
young couple," said Smithers; and Gus confessed he was, and said he had
dined with us fifteen times in six weeks, and that a better and more
hospitable fellow than I did not exist. This I state not to trumpet my
own praises,--no, no; but because these questions of Smithers's had a
good deal to do with the subsequent events narrated in this little
history.

Being seated at dinner the next day off the cold leg of mutton that
Smithers had admired so the day before, and Gus as usual having his legs
under our mahogany, a hackney-coach drove up to the door, which we did
not much heed; a step was heard on the floor, which we hoped might be for
the two-pair lodger, when who should burst into the room but Mrs.
Hoggarty herself! Gus, who was blowing the froth off a pot of porter
preparatory to a delicious drink of the beverage, and had been making us
die of laughing with his stories and jokes, laid down the pewter pot as
Mrs. H. came in, and looked quite sick and pale. Indeed we all felt a
little uneasy.

My aunt looked haughtily in Mary's face, then fiercely at Gus, and
saying, "It is too true--my poor boy--_already_!" flung herself
hysterically into my arms, and swore, almost choking, that she would
never never leave me.

I could not understand the meaning of this extraordinary agitation on
Mrs. Hoggarty's part, nor could any of us. She refused Mary's hand when
the poor thing rather nervously offered it; and when Gus timidly said, "I
think, Sam, I'm rather in the way here, and perhaps--had better go," Mrs.
H. looked him full in the face, pointed to the door majestically with her
forefinger, and said, "I think, sir, you _had_ better go."

"I hope Mr. Hoskins will stay as long as he pleases," said my wife, with
spirit.

"_Of course_ you hope so, madam," answered Mrs. Hoggarty, very sarcastic.
But Mary's speech and my aunt's were quite lost upon Gus; for he had
instantly run to his hat, and I heard him tumbling downstairs.

The quarrel ended, as usual, by Mary's bursting into a fit of tears, and
by my aunt's repeating the assertion that it was not too late, she
trusted; an