the one hand, or presenting my own influence (if I had any) before
her, on the other; I dressed myself unlike myself--you know how;
and waited on the road--you know where. You had no suspicion of
me; neither had--had she,' pointing to Dot, 'until I whispered in
her ear at that fireside, and she so nearly betrayed me.'

'But when she knew that Edward was alive, and had come back,'
sobbed Dot, now speaking for herself, as she had burned to do, all
through this narrative; 'and when she knew his purpose, she advised
him by all means to keep his secret close; for his old friend John
Peerybingle was much too open in his nature, and too clumsy in all
artifice--being a clumsy man in general,' said Dot, half laughing
and half crying--'to keep it for him. And when she--that's me,
John,' sobbed the little woman--'told him all, and how his
sweetheart had believed him to be dead; and how she had at last
been over-persuaded by her mother into a marriage which the silly,
dear old thing called advantageous; and when she--that's me again,
John--told him they were not yet married (though close upon it),
and that it would be nothing but a sacrifice if it went on, for
there was no love on her side; and when he went nearly mad with joy
to hear it; then she--that's me again--said she would go between
them, as she had often done before in old times, John, and would
sound his sweetheart and be sure that what she--me again, John--
said and thought was right. And it was right, John! And they were
brought together, John! And they were married, John, an hour ago!
And here's the Bride! And Gruff and Tackleton may die a bachelor!
And I'm a happy little woman, May, God bless you!'

She was an irresistible little woman, if that be anything to the
purpose; and never so completely irresistible as in her present