“My goodness me!” said Mary, adjusting the tucker, and feigning unconsciousness, “you seem to have grown very fond of it all at once.”

To this Mr. Weller only replied by a wink, the intense meaning of which no description could convey the faintest idea of; and, sitting himself down beside Mary on a window-seat, opened the letter and glanced at the contents.

“Hallo!” exclaimed Sam, “wot’s all this?”

“Nothing the matter, I hope?” said Mary, peeping over his shoulder.

“Bless them eyes o’ yourn!” said Sam, looking up.

“Never mind my eyes; you had much better read your letter,” said the pretty housemaid; and as she said so, she made the eyes twinkle with such slyness and beauty that they were perfectly irresistible.