I Forbid the Banns! — page 179: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ON A FINE DAY. 169 illustrative smile accompanied the expression, as she mur- mured: ‘“They do have their fancies, the poor young things! May, April, March, February. Does it take so long tocome from Australia, I wonder?’’ Then she turned to Bertha, whispering with infinite confidentiality, ‘‘When was it you said you were married, my dear? Not later than February, surely.”’ The girl started. ‘‘Oh, do not talk to me about nightingales and marriage, and such things,’’ she cried. Then she gave a laugh that was not quite a laugh, and throwing her arms around the good old housekeeper, kissed her upon the cheek. ‘‘I beg your pardon, Mrs. Barwell,’’ she said; ‘‘but I don’t think I quite understand myself. It has been such a strange day altogether. Oh, I wonder do people ever go mad listening to the songs of those birds. Listen, you can hear them even yet now that the window is open.”’ . — Again the smile of matronly superiority overspread the countenance of the housekeeper. ‘Your lips are too hot to be wholesome, if I may say it, my young madam,’’ saidshe. ‘‘You would beall the better for tarrying here the night; to be sure these fancies do come and go; wemust be prepared for them. Did yousay it was in February? maybe March at the nearest.”’ ‘‘The dogcart is at the porch,’’ cried Bertha. ‘‘He said there was scarcely time to catch the train. Good-by, Mrs. Barwell; I am all right. I shall come and visit you again very soon, and look at—at those lovely—lovely—pickled walnuts.”’ With another curious laugh that had something hysterical in its tone she flashed to the door with radiant cheeks and sparkling eyes, and was seated by the side of Julian in the dogcart before the housekeeper had recovered from her sur- prise, and had ceased murmuring plaintively: ‘*Pickled wal- COPMICLOOKS (2(6)