This induced John Rokesmith to observe⁠—by way of making the thing more natural⁠—“Bella, my love, this is so much more successful than any of our past anniversaries, that I think we must keep our future anniversaries here.”

Whereunto Bella replied, with probably the least successful attempt at looking matronly that ever was seen: “Indeed, I think so, John, dear.”

Here the Archbishop of Greenwich coughed a stately cough to attract the attention of three of his ministers present, and staring at them, seemed to say: “I call upon you by your fealty to believe this!”