The Tinker eyed these noble adornments in undisguised admiration.
"Lord, Jessamy!" he exclaimed. "Lord, Jess!"
At this, Jessamy's diffidence vanished and coming to the little mirror
that hung against an adjacent tree, he scanned his reflection with an
appreciative eye.
"Aye, aye, Jerry," quoth he, "when I wears a frilled shirt--which
ain't often, as you know, Jeremy--I wears one with--frills!"
"Jerry, dear--O Jerry!" called Diana from the dingy tent.
"Yes, Anna!"
"I want you to come and hook up my dress!"
"Lord, Anna! To do what?"
"Hook up my dress for me."
"But--Ann--"
"I can't possibly do it myself, so come at once, there's a dear!"
"Won't Perry do, Ann?"
"Certainly not!"
"But I never hooked up a lady in my life, Ann!"
"Then you're going to hook up this lady now. So come at once and don't
be silly!"
"Why, very well, Ann! But if I do it up all wrong an' sp'ile ye--don't
blame me, that's all!" Saying which, he disappeared into the dingy
tent, leaving me to survey myself in the small mirror and find fault
with my every feature and so much as I could see of my attire, while
Jessamy hovered near, eyeing me a little anxiously.
"You don't feel anywise groggy or--shaky o' your pins, do ye, Perry?"
he enquired solicitously.
"Not yet, Jessamy."
"Why, very good, brother! But if so be you should feel it comin' on,
jest tip me the office--I've a lemon in my pocket. There's some, being
groggy, as nat'rally turns to a sup o' rum or brandy, but the best
thing as I knows on to pull a man together is a squeeze o' lemon
and--here comes the rest o' your backers--hark!"
The crack of a whip, a jingle of bits and curb-chains coming rapidly
nearer, and then the air rang with a cheery "view hallo!"
A rustle of petticoats and Diana was beside me, a radiant vision in
the gown she could not hook up for herself, and side by side, we went
to meet our guests, and thus beheld a coach-and-four galloping along
the lane, the sedate Atkinson seated in the rumble and upon the box
the tall, athletic form of Anthony, flourishing his whip in joyous
salutation, a cheery, glad-eyed Anthony; and beholding her who sat so
close beside him, I understood this so great change in him.
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