Bella remaining invisible and silent, her father remained at his dessert and wine, until he remembered it was time for him to get home to Holloway. “Though I positively cannot tear myself away,” he cherubically added, “⁠—it would be a sin⁠—without drinking to many, many happy returns of this most happy day.”

“Here! ten thousand times!” cried John. “I fill my glass and my precious wife’s.”