She'll want me to carry something up to the
supper-room if I do--a pile of dishes, or something of the kind. I'd like
to oblige you, Mrs. Walters, but it's worth my new suit to do it."
Under these circumstances, Kinch was excused; and a deputation, headed by
Mr. Walters, was sent into the lower regions to wait upon Caddy, who
prevailed upon her to come up and dress, which she did, being all the
while very red in the face, and highly indignant at being sent for so
often.
"Good gracious!" she exclaimed, "what a pucker you are all in!"
"Why, Caddy, it's time to be," replied Esther--"it wants eight minutes of
the hour."
"And that is just three minutes more than I should want for dressing if I
was going to be married myself," rejoined she; and hastening away, she
returned in an incredibly short time, all prepared for the ceremony.
Charlie was very handsomely got up for the occasion. Emily, Esther,
Caddy--in fact, all of them--agreed that he never looked better in his
life. "That is owing to me--all my doings," said Kinch exultingly. "He
wanted to order his suit of old Forbes, who hasn't looked at a
fashion-plate for the last ten years, and I wouldn't let him. I took him to
my man, and see what he has made of him--turned him out looking like a
bridegroom, instead of an old man of fifty! It's all owing to me," said the
delighted Kinch, who skipped about the entry until he upset a vase of
flowers that stood on a bracket behind him; whereupon Caddy ran and brought
a towel, and made him take off his white gloves and wipe up the water, in
spite of his protestations that the shape of his pantaloons would not bear
the strain of stooping.
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