husband.

"In he walks, and down he sits, and O my goodness me, didn't I flee
upstairs, body and soul hardly hanging together! Well, to cut a long
story short, by-long and by-late, John Wildway and I had a miff and
parted; and lo and behold, the coming man came! Penny asked me if I'd go
snacks with him, and afore I knew what I was about a'most, the thing was
done."

"I've fancied you never knew better in your life; but I mid be mistaken,"
said Mr. Penny in a murmur.

After Mrs. Penny had spoken, there being no new occupation for her eyes,
she still let them stay idling on the past scenes just related, which
were apparently visible to her in the centre of the room. Mr. Penny's
remark received no reply.

During this discourse the tranter and his wife might have been observed
standing in an unobtrusive corner, in mysterious closeness to each other,
a just perceptible current of intelligence passing from each to each,
which had apparently no relation whatever to the conversation of their
guests, but much to their sustenance. A conclusion of some kind having
at length been drawn, the palpable confederacy of man and wife was once
more obliterated, the tranter marching off into the pantry, humming a
tune that he couldn't quite recollect, and then breaking into the words
of a song of which he could remember about one line and a quarter. Mrs.
Dewy spoke a few words about preparations for a bit of supper.

That elder portion of the company which loved eating and drinking put on
a look to signify that till this moment they had quite forgotten that it