"As to collecting newspapers and books, my dear," said Lamps, "it′s clear I can have no merit in that, because they′re not my perquisites. You see, sir, it′s this way: A Guard, he′ll say to me, ′Hallo, here you are, Lamps. I′ve saved this paper for your daughter. How is she a-going on?′ A Head-Porter, he′ll say to me, ′Here! Catch hold, Lamps. Here′s a couple of wollumes for your daughter. Is she pretty much where she were?′ And that′s what makes it double welcome, you see. If she had a thousand pound in a box, they wouldn′t trouble themselves about her; but being what she is—that is, you understand," Lamps added, somewhat hurriedly, "not having a thousand pound in a box—they take thought for her. And as concerning the young pairs, married and unmarried, it′s only natural I should bring home what little I can about _them_, seeing that there′s not a Couple of either sort in the neighbourhood that don′t come of their own accord to confide in Phoebe."
She raised her eyes triumphantly to Barbox Brothers as she said:
"Indeed, sir, that is true. If I could have got up and gone to church, I don′t know how often I should have been a bridesmaid. But, if I could have done that, some girls in love might have been jealous of me, and, as it is, no girl is jealous of me. And my pillow would not have been half as ready to put the piece of cake under, as I always find it," she added, turning her face on it with a light sigh, and a smile at her father.
The arrival of a little girl, the biggest of the scholars, now led to an understanding on the part of Barbox Brothers, that she was the domestic of the cottage, and had come to take active measures in it, attended by a pail that might have extinguished her, and a broom three times her height. He therefore rose to take his leave, and took it; saying that, if Phoebe had no objection, he would come again.
He had muttered that he would come "in the course of his walks." The course of his walks must have been highly favourable to his return, for he returned after an interval of a single day.
"You thought you would never see me any more, I suppose?" he said to Phoebe as he touched her hand, and sat down by her couch.
"Why should I think so?" was her surprised rejoinder.
"I took it for granted you would mistrust me."
"For granted, sir? Have you been so much mistrusted?"
"I think I am justified in answering yes. But I may have mistrusted, too, on my part. No matter just now. We were speaking of the Junction last time. I have passed hours there since the day before yesterday."
"Are you now the gentleman for Somewhere?" she asked with a smile.
"Certainly for Somewhere; but I don′t yet know Where. You would never guess what I am travelling from. Shall I tell you? I am travelling from my birthday."
Her hands stopped in her work, and she looked at him with incredulous astonishment.
"Yes," said Barbox Brothers, not quite easy in his chair, "from my birthday. I am, to myself, an unintelligible book with the earlier chapters all torn out, and thrown away.
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