`Why, what did they call us, when we went to see 'em, then, eh, neighbour Pullet? They thought us sweet enough then,' said Mr Glegg, winking pleasantly, while Mr Pullet, at the suggestion of sweetness, took a little more sugar.
`Mr Glegg,' said Mrs G., `if you're going to be undelicate, let me know.'
`La, Jane, your husband's only joking,' said Mrs Pullet, `let him joke while he's got health and strength.There's poor Mr Tilt got his mouth drawn all o' one side, and couldn't laugh if he was to try.'
`I'll trouble you for the muffineer, then, Mr Glegg,' said Mrs G., `if I may be so bold to interrupt your joking.Though it's other people must see the joke in a niece's putting a slight on her mother's eldest sister, as is the head o' the family; and only coming in and out on short visits all the time she's been in the town, and then settling to go away without my knowledge - as I'd laid caps out on purpose for her to make 'em up for me, - and me as have divided my money so equal--'
`Sister,' Mrs Tulliver broke in, anxiously, `I'm sure Maggie never thought o' going away without staying at your house as well as the others.Not as it's my wish she should go away at all - but quite contrairy.I'm sure I'm innicent.I've said over and over again, "My dear, you've no call to go away." But there's ten days or a fortnight Maggie'll have before she's fixed to go: she can stay at your house just as well, as I'll step in when I can, and so will Lucy.'
`Bessy,' said Mrs Glegg, `if you'd exercise a little more thought, you might know I should hardly think it was worth while to unpin a bed, and go to all that trouble now, just at the end o' the time, when our house isn't above a quarter of an hour's walk from Mr Deane's.She can come the first thing in the morning and go back the last at night, and be thankful she's got a good aunt so close to her to come and sit with.I know I should, when I was her age.'
`La, Jane,' said Mrs Pullet, `it 'ud do your beds good to have somebody to sleep in 'em.There's that Striped Room smells dreadful mouldy, and the glass mildewed like anything: I'm sure I thought I should be struck with death when you took me in.'
`O, there is Tom!' exclaimed Lucy, clapping her hands.`He's come on Sindbad, as I told him.I was afraid he was not going to keep his promise.'
Maggie jumped up to kiss Tom as he entered, with strong feeling, at this first meeting since the prospect of returning to the Mill had been opened to him, and she kept his hand, leading him to the chair by her side.
To have no cloud between herself and Tom was still a perpetual yearning in her, that had its root deeper than all change.He smiled at her very kindly this evening and said, `Well, Magsie, how's aunt Moss?'
`Come, come, sir,' said Mr Glegg, putting out his hand.`Why, you're such a big man, you carry all before you, it seems.You're come into your luck a good deal earlier than us old folks did - but I wish you joy, Iwish you joy.You'll get the Mill all for your own again, some day, I'll be bound.You won't stop half-way up the hill.'
`But I hope he'll bear in mind as it's his mother's family as he owes it to,' said Mrs Glegg.`If he hadn't had them to take after, he'd ha'
been poorly off.There was never any failures, nor lawing, nor wastefulness in our family - nor dying without wills--'
`No, nor sudden deaths,' said aunt Pullet.`Allays the doctor called in.But Tom had the Dodson skin - I said that from the first.And I don't know what you mean to do, sister Glegg, but I mean to give him a table cloth of all my three biggest sizes but one, besides sheets.I don't say what more I shall do, but that I shall do, and if I should die to-morrow, Mr Pullet, you'll bear it in mind - though you'll be blundering with the keys, and never remember as that on the third shelf o' the left hand wardrobe, behind the night-caps with the broad ties - not the narrow-frilled uns - is the key o' the drawer in the Blue Room, where the key o' the Blue Closet is.You'll make a mistake and I shall niver be worthy to know it.