Upon that, Dolly went running back into the parlour, all dimplesand blushes; and Joe opened it with a mighty noise, and othersuperfluous demonstrations of being in a violent hurry.
"Well," said the locksmith, when he reappeared: "what is it? ehJoe? what are you laughing at?"
"Nothing, sir. It"s coming in."
"Who"s coming in? what"s coming in?" Mrs Varden, as much at a lossas her husband, could only shake her head in answer to hisinquiring look: so, the locksmith wheeled his chair round tocommand a better view of the room-door, and stared at it with hiseyes wide open, and a mingled expression of curiosity and wondershining in his jolly face.
Instead of some person or persons straightway appearing, diversremarkable sounds were heard, first in the workshop and afterwardsin the little dark passage between it and the parlour, as thoughsome unwieldy chest or heavy piece of furniture were being broughtin, by an amount of human strength inadequate to the task. Atlength after much struggling and humping, and bruising of the wallon both sides, the door was forced open as by a battering-ram; andthe locksmith, steadily regarding what appeared beyond, smote histhigh, elevated his eyebrows, opened his mouth, and cried in a loudvoice expressive of the utmost consternation:
"Damme, if it an"t Miggs come back!"
The young damsel whom he named no sooner heard these words, thandeserting a small boy and a very large box by which she wasaccompanied, and advancing with such precipitation that her bonnetflew off her head, burst into the room, clasped her hands (in whichshe held a pair of pattens, one in each), raised her eyes devotedlyto the ceiling, and shed a flood of tears.
"The old story!" cried the locksmith, looking at her ininexpressible desperation. "She was born to be a damper, thisyoung woman! nothing can prevent it!"
"Ho master, ho mim!" cried Miggs, "can I constrain my feelings inthese here once agin united moments! Ho Mr Warsen, here"sblessedness among relations, sir! Here"s forgivenesses ofinjuries, here"s amicablenesses!"
The locksmith looked from his wife to Dolly, and from Dolly to Joe,and from Joe to Miggs, with his eyebrows still elevated and hismouth still open. When his eyes got back to Miggs, they rested onher; fascinated.
"To think," cried Miggs with hysterical joy, "that Mr Joe, and dearMiss Dolly, has raly come together after all as has been said anddone contrairy! To see them two a-settin" along with him and her,so pleasant and in all respects so affable and mild; and me notknowing of it, and not being in the ways to make no preparationsfor their teas. Ho what a cutting thing it is, and yet what sweetsensations is awoke within me!"
Either in clasping her hands again, or in an ecstasy of pious joy,Miss Miggs clinked her pattens after the manner of a pair ofcymbals, at this juncture; and then resumed, in the softestaccents:
"And did my missis think--ho goodness, did she think--as her ownMiggs, which supported her under so many trials, and understood hernatur" when them as intended well but acted rough, went so deepinto her feelings--did she think as her own Miggs would ever leaveher? Did she think as Miggs, though she was but a servant, andknowed that servitudes was no inheritances, would forgit that shewas the humble instruments as always made it comfortable betweenthem two when they fell out, and always told master of the meeknessand forgiveness of her blessed dispositions! Did she think asMiggs had no attachments! Did she think that wages was her onlyobject!"
To none of these interrogatories, whereof every one was morepathetically delivered than the last, did Mrs Varden answer oneword: but Miggs, not at all abashed by this circumstance, turned tothe small boy in attendance--her eldest nephew--son of her ownmarried sister--born in Golden Lion Court, number twenty-sivin,and bred in the very shadow of the second bell-handle on the right-hand door-post--and with a plentiful use of her pocket-handkerchief, addressed herself to him: requesting that on hisreturn home he would console his parents for the loss of her, hisaunt, by delivering to them a faithful statement of his having lefther in the bosom of that family, with which, as his aforesaidparents well knew, her best affections were incorporated; that hewould remind them that nothing less than her imperious sense ofduty, and devoted attachment to her old master and missis, likewiseMiss Dolly and young Mr Joe, should ever have induced her todecline that pressing invitation which they, his parents, had, ashe could testify, given her, to lodge and board with them, free ofall cost and charge, for evermore; lastly, that he would help herwith her box upstairs, and then repair straight home, bearing herblessing and her strong injunctions to mingle in his prayers asupplication that he might in course of time grow up a locksmith,or a Mr Joe, and have Mrs Vardens and Miss Dollys for his relationsand friends.