`To be sure,' said Nicholas. `Yes; they would have been jealous, no doubt.'

`To prevent which,' said Mr Lillyvick, `Henrietta Petowker (it was settled between us) should come down here to her friends, the Crummleses, under pretence of this engagement, and I should go down to Guildford the day before, and join her on the coach there, which I did, and we came down from Guildford yesterday together. Now, for fear you should be writing to Mr Noggs, and might say anything about us, we have thought it best to let you into the secret. We shall be married from the Crummleses' lodgings, and shall be delighted to see you -- either before church or at breakfast-time, which you like. It won't be expensive, you know,' said the collector, highly anxious to prevent any misunderstanding on this point; `just muffins and coffee, with perhaps a shrimp or something of that sort for a relish, you know.'

`Yes, yes, I understand,' replied Nicholas. `Oh, I shall be most happy to come; it will give me the greatest pleasure. Where's the lady stopping -- with Mrs Crummles?'

`Why, no,' said the collector; `they couldn't very well dispose of her at night, and so she is staying with an acquaintance of hers, and another young lady; they both belong to the theatre.'

`Miss Snevellicci, I suppose?' said Nicholas.

`Yes, that's the name.'

`And they'll be bridesmaids, I presume?' said Nicholas.

`Why,' said the collector, with a rueful face, `they will have four bridesmaids; I'm afraid they'll make it rather theatrical.'

`Oh no, not at all,' replied Nicholas, with an awkward attempt to convert a laugh into a cough. `Who may the four be? Miss Snevellicci of course -- Miss Ledrook --'

`The -- the phenomenon,' groaned the collector.

`Ha, ha!' cried Nicholas. `I beg your pardon, I don't know what I'm laughing at -- yes, that'll be very pretty -- the phenomenon -- who else?'

`Some young woman or other,' replied the collector, rising; `some other friend of Henrietta Petowker's. Well, you'll be careful not to say anything about it, will you?'

`You may safely depend upon me,' replied Nicholas. `Won't you take anything to eat or drink?'

`No,' said the collector; `I haven't any appetite. I should think it was a very pleasant life, the married one -- eh?'

`I have not the least doubt of it,' rejoined Nicholas.

`Yes,' said the collector; `certainly. Oh yes. No doubt. Good-night.'

With these words, Mr Lillyvick, whose manner had exhibited through the whole of this interview a most extraordinary compound of precipitation, hesitation, confidence and doubt, fondness, misgiving, meanness, and self-importance, turned his back upon the room, and left Nicholas to enjoy a laugh by himself if he felt so disposed.

Without stopping to inquire whether the intervening day appeared to Nicholas to consist of the usual number of hours of the ordinary length, it may be remarked that, to the parties more directly interested in the forthcoming ceremony, it passed with great rapidity, insomuch that when Miss Petowker awoke on the succeeding morning in the chamber of Miss Snevellicci, she declared that nothing should ever persuade her that that really was the day which was to behold a change in her condition.