berately.

"If ever I wants to get married again," began Bindle, looking at Mr.
Sopley, "I'll come to you, sir, to tie me up. It'll sort o' prepare me
for the worst; but I got to wait till Mrs. B. 'ops it with the lodger;
not 'ole Guppy," he added, "'e's gone."

Mr. Dixon laughed loudly; into Mrs. Bindle's cheeks there stole a
flush of anger.

"Well!" continued Bindle, "I promised Charlie that 'e shouldn't 'ave
no speeches to make, an' so I'm on my 'ind legs a-givin' thanks for
all them cheerful things wot we jest 'eard about. I ain't altogether a
believer in 'ow to be 'appy though married; but this 'ere
gentleman--(Bindle indicated Mr. Sopley by a jerk of his
thumb)--well, 'e can give me points. No one didn't ought to 'ave such
ideas wot ain't done time for bigamy. I can see now why there ain't no
givin' an' takin' in marriage up there;" and Bindle raised his eyes to
the ceiling. "I got a new respect for 'eaven, I 'ave.

"I don't rightly understand wot 'e means by 'a vale o' tears,' or
'walkin' 'and in 'and along the valley o' the shadow.' P'raps they're
places 'e's been to abroad. I seen a good deal o' wanderin' 'and in
'and along the river between Putney an' 'Ammersmith, I'm a special,
you know. I 'ad to ask the sergeant to change my dooty. Used to make
me 'ot all over, it did.

"There's one thing where you're wrong, sir." Bindle turned to Mr.
Sopley, who reluctantly brought his eyes down from the ceiling to gaze
vacantly at Bindle. "You said this 'ere marriage was made in 'eaven.
Well, it wasn't; it was made in Fulham."

Mrs. Dixon smiled. Mr. Dixon guffawed. Mr. Hearty looked anxiously
from Mrs. Bindle to Mr. Sopley.

"I made it myself, so I ought to know," proceeded Bindle. "I seen a
good deal o' them two kids." He looked affectionately at Millie. "An'
if they ain't goin' to be 'appy in Fulham instead o' wanderin' about
vales and valleys a-snivellin', you got one up against Joe Bindle.

"I remember once 'earin' a parson say that when we died and went to
the sort of Ole Bailey in the sky, we should be asked if we'd ever
done anybody a good turn. If we 'ad, then we'd got a sportin' chance.
When I'm dead I can see myself a-knockin' at them golden gates of
'eaven, sort o' registered letter knock wot means an answer's wanted.
When they ask me if I ever done anyone a good turn, I shall say I got
Millikins an' Charlie Dixon tied up.

"'Right-o, ole sport!' they'll say, ''op in.'

"An' I shall nip in quick be