, while some among them nestled in her
dress and fondled her, "Is this the wife who has betrayed your
confidence?"

More than once, or twice, or thrice, in the long thoughtful night, they
showed her to him sitting on her favourite seat, with her bent head, her
hands clasped on her brow, her falling hair. As he had seen her last.
And when they found her thus, they neither turned nor looked upon him,
but gathered close round her, and comforted and kissed her, and pressed
on one another, to show sympathy and kindness to her, and forgot him
altogether.

Thus the night passed. The moon went down; the stars grew pale; the cold
day broke; the sun rose. The Carrier still sat, musing, in the
chimney-corner. He had sat there, with his head upon his hands, all
night. All night the faithful Cricket had been Chirp, Chirp, Chirping on
the Hearth. All night he had listened to its voice. All night the
Household Fairies had been busy with him. All night she had been amiable
and blameless in the glass, except when that one shadow fell upon it.

He rose up when it was broad day, and washed and dressed himself. He
couldn't go about his customary cheerful avocations--he wanted spirit
for them--but it mattered the less that it was Tackleton's wedding-day,
and he had arranged to make his rounds by proxy. He had thought to have
gone merrily to church with Dot. But such plans were at an end. It was
their own wedding-day too. Ah! how little he had looked for such a close
to such a year!

The Carrier expected that Tackleton would pay him an early visit; and he
was right. He had not walked to and fro before his own door many
minutes, when he saw the toy merchant coming in his chaise along the
road. As the chaise drew nearer, he perceived that Tackleton was dressed
out sprucely for his marriage, and that he had decorated his horse's
head with flowers and favours.

The horse looked much more like a bridegroom than Tackleton, whose
half-closed eye was more disagreeably expressive than ever. But the
Carrier took little heed of this. His thoughts had other occupation.

"John Peerybingle!" said Tackleton with an air of condolence. "My good
fellow, how do you find yourself this morning?"

"I have had but a poor night, Master Tackleton," returned the Carrier,
shaking his head: "for I have been a good deal disturbed in my mind. But
it's over now! Can you spare me half an hour or so, for some private
talk?"

"I came on purpose," returned Tackleton