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504 THE ADVENTURES OF PHILIP
Mugford's led her to a green satin dress and a pink turban, when
other ladies were in grey or quiet colours. The intimacy between
our two families dwindled immediately after Philip's marriage;
Mrs. M., I am sorry to say, setting us down as shabby-genteel
people, and she couldn't bear screwing—never could !
Well : the speeches were spoken. The bride was kissed, and
departed with her bridegroom : they had not even a valet and
lady's-maid to bear them company. The route of the happy pair
was to be Canterbury, Folkestone, Boulogne, Amiens, Paris, and
Italy perhaps, if their little stock of pocket-money would serve
them so far. But the very instant when half was spent, it was
agreed that these young people should turn their faces homeward
again ; and meanwhile the printer and Mugford himself agreed that
they would do Mr. Sub-editor's duty. How much had they in the
little purse for their pleasure-journey ? That is no business of ours,
surely; but with youth, health, happiness, love, amongst their
possessions, I don't think our young friends had need to be discontented.
Away then they drive in their cab to the railway station.
Farewell, and Heaven bless you, Charlotte and Philip ! I have
said how I found my wife crying in her favourite's vacant bedroom.
The marriage table did coldly furnish forth a funeral kind of dinner.
The cold chicken choked us all, and the jelly was but a sickly
compound to my taste, though it was the Little Sister's most artful
manufacture. I own for one I was quite miserable. I found no
comfort at clubs, nor could the last new novel fix my attention.
I saw Philip's eyes, and heard the warble of Charlotte's sweet
voice. I walked off from "Bays's," and through Old Parr Street,
where Philip had lived, and his parents entertained me as a boy ;
and then tramped to Thornhaugh Street, rather ashamed of myself.
The maid said mistress was in Mr. Philip's rooms, the two pair,—
and what was that I heard on the piano as I entered the apartment?
Mrs. Brandon sat there hemming some chintz windowcurtains,
or bed-curtains, or what not : by her side sat my own
eldest girl stitching away very resolutely ; and at the piano—the
piano which Philip had bought—there sat my own wife picking
out that " Dream of Saint Jerome," of Beethoven, which Charlotte
used to play so delicately. We had tea out of Philip's tea-things,
and a nice hot cake, which consoled some of us. But I have
known few evenings more melancholy than that. It felt like the
first night at school after the holidays, when we all used to try
and appear cheerful, you know. But ah ! how dismal the gaiety
was; and how dreary that lying awake in the night, and thinking
of the happy days just over !
The way in which we looked forward for letters from our bride