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'I'll lay the cloth at once； father； for I have brought the tripe
in a basin； and tied the basin up in a pocket…handkerchief； and if
I like to be proud for once； and spread that for a cloth； and call
it a cloth； there's no law to prevent me； is there； father？'
'Not that I know of； my dear；' said Toby。 'But they're always a…
bringing up some new law or other。'
'And according to what I was reading you in the paper the other
day； father； what the Judge said； you know； we poor people are
supposed to know them all。 Ha ha！ What a mistake！ My goodness
me； how clever they think us！'
'Yes； my dear；' cried Trotty； 'and they'd be very fond of any one
of us that DID know 'em all。 He'd grow fat upon the work he'd get；
that man； and be popular with the gentlefolks in his neighbourhood。
Very much so！'
'He'd eat his dinner with an appetite； whoever he was； if it smelt
like this；' said Meg； cheerfully。 'Make haste； for there's a hot
potato besides； and half a pint of fresh…drawn beer in a bottle。
Where will you dine； father？ On the Post； or on the Steps？ Dear；
dear； how grand we are。 Two places to choose from！'
'The steps to…day； my Pet；' said Trotty。 'Steps in dry weather。
Post in wet。 There's a greater conveniency in the steps at all
times； because of the sitting down； but they're rheumatic in the
damp。'
'Then here；' said Meg； clapping her hands； after a moment's bustle；
'here it is； all ready！ And beautiful it looks！ Come； father。
Come！'
Since his discovery of the contents of the basket； Trotty had been
standing looking at her … and had been speaking too … in an
abstracted manner； which showed that though she was the object of
his thoughts and eyes； to the exclusion even of tripe； he neither
saw nor thought about her as she was at that moment； but had before
him some imaginary rough sketch or drama of her future life。
Roused； now； by her cheerful summons； he shook off a melancholy
shake of the head which was just coming upon him； and trotted to
her side。 As he was stooping to sit down； the Chimes rang。
'Amen！' said Trotty； pulling off his hat and looking up towards
them。
'Amen to the Bells； father？' cried Meg。
'They broke in like a grace； my dear；' said Trotty； taking his
seat。 'They'd say a good one； I am sure； if they could。 Many's
the kind thing they say to me。'
'The Bells do； father！' laughed Meg； as she set the basin； and a
knife and fork； before him。 'Well！'
'Seem to； my Pet；' said Trotty； falling to with great vigour。 'And
where's the difference？ If I hear 'em； what does it matter whether
they speak it or not？ Why bless you； my dear；' said Toby； pointing
at the tower with his fork； and becoming more animated under the
influence of dinner； 'how often have I heard them bells say； 〃Toby
Veck； Toby Veck； keep a good heart； Toby！ Toby Veck； Toby Veck；
keep a good heart； Toby！〃 A million times？ More！'
'Well； I never！' cried Meg。
She had； though … over and over again。 For it was Toby's constant
topic。
'When things is very bad；' said Trotty； 'very bad indeed； I mean；
almost at the worst； then it's 〃Toby Veck； Toby Veck； job coming
soon； Toby！ Toby Veck； Toby Veck； job coming soon； Toby！〃 That
way。'
'And it comes … at last； father；' said Meg； with a touch of sadness
in her pleasant voice。
'Always；' answered the unconscious Toby。 'Never fails。'
While this discourse was holding； Trotty made no pause in his
attack upon the savoury meat before him； but cut and ate； and cut
and drank； and cut and chewed； and dodged about； from tripe to hot
potato； and from hot potato back again to tripe； with an unctuous
and unflagging relish。 But happening now to look all round the
street … in case anybody should be beckoning from any door or
window； for a porter … his eyes； in coming back again； encountered
Meg： sitting opposite to him； with her arms folded and only busy
in watching his progress with a smile of happiness。
'Why； Lord forgive me！' said Trotty； dropping his knife and fork。
'My dove！ Meg！ why didn't you tell me what a beast I was？'
'Father？'
'Sitting here；' said Trotty； in penitent explanation； 'cramming；
and stuffing； and gorging myself； and you before me there； never so
much as breaking your precious fast； nor wanting to； when … '
'But I have broken it； father；' interposed his daughter； laughing；
'all to bits。 I have had my dinner。'
'Nonsense；' said Trotty。 'Two dinners in one day！ It an't
possible！ You might as well tell me that two New Year's Days will
come together； or that I have had a gold head all my life； and
never changed it。'
'I have had my dinner； father； for all that；' said Meg； coming
nearer to him。 'And if you'll go on with yours； I'll tell you how
and where； and how your dinner came to be brought； and … and
something else besides。'
Toby still appeared incredulous； but she looked into his face with
her clear eyes； and laying her hand upon his shoulder； motioned him
to go on while the meat was hot。 So Trotty took up his knife and
fork again； and went to work。 But much more slowly than before；
and shaking his head； as if he were not at all pleased with
himself。
'I had my dinner； father；' said Meg； after a little hesitation；
'with … with Richard。 His dinner…time was early； and as he brought
his dinner with him when he came to see me； we … we had it
together； father。'
Trotty took a little beer； and smacked his lips。 Then he said；
'Oh！' … because she waited。
'And Richard says； father … ' Meg resumed。 Then stopped。
'What does Richard say； Meg？' asked Toby。
'Richard says； father … ' Another stoppage。
'Richard's a long time saying it；' said Toby。
'He says then； father；' Meg continued； lifting up her eyes at last；
and speaking in a tremble； but quite plainly； 'another year is
nearly gone； and where is the use of waiting on from year to year；
when it is so unlikely we shall ever be better off than we are now？
He says we are poor now； father； and we shall be poor then； but we
are young now； and years will make us old before we know it。 He
says that if we wait： people in our condition： until we see our
way quite clearly； the way will be a narrow one indeed … the common
way … the Grave； father。'
A bolder man than Trotty Veck must needs have drawn upon his
boldness largely； to deny it。 Trotty held his peace。
'And how hard； father； to grow old； and die； and think we might
have cheered and helped each other！ How hard in all our lives to
love each other； and to grieve； apart； to see each other working；
changing； growing old and grey。 Even if I got the better of it；
and forgot him （which I never could）； oh father dear； how hard to
have a heart so full as mine is now； and live to have it slowly
drained out every drop； without the recollection of one happy
moment of a woman's life； to stay behind and comfort me； and make
me better！'
Trotty sat quite still。 Meg dried her eyes； and said more gaily：
that is to say； with here a laugh； and there a sob； and here a
laugh and sob together：
'So Richard says； father； as his work was ye