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[A portion is here omitted from the text, having reference to the sketches contributed by other writers; but the reader will be pleased to have what follows retained in a note:
"Now I′ll tell you what I am a-going to do with you. I am a-going to offer you the general miscellaneous lot, her own book, never read by anybody else but me, added to and completed by me after her first reading of it, eight-and-forty printed pages, six-and-ninety columns, Whiting′s own work, Beaufort House to wit, thrown off by the steam-ingine, best of paper, beautiful green wrapper, folded like clean linen come home from the clear-starcher′s, and so exquisitely stitched that, regarded as a piece of needlework alone, it′s better than the sampler of a seamstress undergoing a Competitive examination for Starvation before the Civil Service Commissioners—and I offer the lot for what? For eight pound? Not so much. For six pound? Less. For four pound. Why, I hardly expect you to believe me, but that′s the sum. Four pound! The stitching alone cost half as much again. Here′s forty-eight original pages, ninety- six original columns, for four pound. You want more for the money? Take it. Three whole pages of advertisements of thrilling interest thrown in for nothing. Read ′em and believe ′em. More? My best of wishes for your merry Christmases and your happy New Years, your long lives and your true prosperities. Worth twenty pound good if they are delivered as I send them. Remember! Here′s a final prescription added, "To be taken for life," which will tell you how the cart broke down, and where the journey ended. You think Four Pound too much? And still you think so? Come! I′ll tell you what then. Say Four Pence, and keep the secret."]
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So every item of my plan was crowned with success. Our reunited life was more than all that we had looked forward to. Content and joy went with us as the wheels of the two carts went round, and the same stopped with us when the two carts stopped. I was as pleased and as proud as a Pug- Dog with his muzzle black-leaded for a evening party, and his tail extra curled by machinery.
But I had left something out of my calculations. Now, what had I left out? To help you to guess I′ll say, a figure. Come. Make a guess and guess right. Nought? No. Nine? No. Eight? No. Seven? No. Six? No. Five? No. Four? No. Three? No. Two? No. One? No. Now I′ll tell you what I′ll do with you. I′ll say it′s another sort of figure altogether. There. Why then, says you, it′s a mortal figure. No, nor yet a mortal figure. By such means you got yourself penned into a corner, and you can′t help guessing a _im_mortal figure. That′s about it. Why didn′t you say so sooner?
Yes. It was a immortal figure that I had altogether left out of my Calculations. Neither man′s, nor woman′s, but a child′s. Girl′s or boy′s? Boy′s. "I, says the sparrow with my bow and arrow." Now you have got it.
We were down at Lancaster, and I had done two nights more than fair average business (though I cannot in honour recommend them as a quick audience) in the open square there, near the end of the street where Mr. Sly′s King′s Arms and Royal Hotel stands. Mim′s travelling giant, otherwise Pickleson, happened at the self-same time to be trying it on in the town. The genteel lay was adopted with him. No hint of a van. Green baize alcove leading up to Pickleson in a Auction Room.
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