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"And so," said Mr. Lorry, who could not sufficiently admire the

bride, and who had been moving round her to take in every point

of her quiet, pretty dress; "and so it was for this, my sweet

Lucie, that I brought you across the Channel, such a baby! Lord

bless me! How little I thought what I was doing! How lightly I

valued the obligation I was conferring on my friend Mr. Charles!"

"You didn't mean it," remarked the matter-of-fact Miss Pross,

"and therefore how could you know it? Nonsense!"

"Really? Well; but don't cry," said the gentle Mr. Lorry.

"I am not crying," said Miss Pross; "you are."

"I, my Pross?" (By this time, Mr. Lorry dared to be pleasant with

her, on occasion.)

"You were, just now; I saw you do it, and I don't wonder at it.

Such a present of plate as you have made 'em, is enough to bring

tears into anybody's eyes. There's not a fork or a spoon in the

collection," said Miss Pross, "that I didn't cry over, last night

after the box came, till I couldn't see it."