Though little did I think what the crotchet would be." And slowly the
rims of Tilly's eyes and the tip of her nose reddened and swelled.
"No, I can't picture it, Mary--what it'ull be like 'ere without you,"
she said; and pulling out her handkerchief blew snort after snort, which
was Tilly's way nowadays of having a good cry. "There, there, Baby,
Auntie's only got the sniffles.--For just think of it, Mary: except
that first year or so after you were married, we've been together, you
and me, pretty much ever since you came to us that time at the 'otel--a
little black midget of a thing in short frocks. I can still remember 'ow
Jinn and I laughed at the idea of you teaching us; and 'ow poor ma said
to wait and make sure we weren't laughing on the wrong side of our
mouths. And ma was right as usual. For if ever a clever little kid trod
the earth, it was you."
Mary pooh-poohed the cleverness. "I knew very little more than you
yourselves. No, it was you who were all so kind to me. I had been
feeling so lonely--as if nobody wanted me--and I shall never forget
how mother put her arms round me and cuddled me, and how safe and
comfortable I felt. It was always just like home there to me."
"And why not, I'd like to know!--Look 'ere, Mary, I'm going to ask you
something, plump and plain. 'Ave you really been happy in your marriage,
my dear, or 'ave you not? You're such a loyal little soul, I know you'd
never show it if you weren't; and sometimes I've 'ad my doubts about
you, Mary.
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