"Kitty!" he cried. "Kitty, I----" He bent and kissed her forehead. "She will tell you!" he murmured, with a gesture toward the house. "Blessed,-blessed----" He waved his hand, almost (poor Kitty thought) like Mr. Jordano, and departed with long, hasty strides. Kitty hesitated a moment at the sitting-room door, dreading she hardly knew what. Strong emotions shook her like a leaf in these days, she did not ask herself why. "Foolish creature!" she murmured. She need have had no fear; Miss Johanna was pale, and her eyes showed traces of tears, but she was entirely calm. "Sit down, Kitty, my dear!" she said. "Here, by me, on the sofa. I have something to tell you. Do you remember my quoting Peggotty the other day? Barkis was willin', you know, and David didn't understand the message; 'Drat the man! he wants to marry me,' said Peggotty. Well, my child, drat the Judge, he wants to marry me! I haven't spoken of it before, because if I had decided to say no, there would have been no occasion; but he is the most obstinate man I ever saw, in his quiet way; so--I have said yes, Kitty. I told you, didn't I, it is he who has sent the violets all these years? You needn't smother me, my dear!" Kitty had her in her arms, exclaiming, caressing, laughing and crying, all at once. "Auntie! Darling, wicked, deceitful Auntie! What a blind bat I have been! I was afraid--oh! I am so glad, so glad! But you always said you didn't know who sent them." "I didn't--exactly--_know_! I only felt at the back of my head that it was probably Edward; he is that kind of faithful, doggy person. It's perfectly ridiculous, as I said. And--_my stars_!" Miss Johanna was all in a moment her crispest, most incisive self. "There is no possible thing that a woman of fifty can be married in except gray or lavender, and I look like a blown-out tallow dip in either of 'em. Run after him, Kitty, and tell him I've changed my mind!" CHAPTER XVII KITTY SINGS Miss Johanna decided finally on moss-green. "It's emblematic, you see!" she explained to the Misses Bygood, who had come in state and their best summer silks ("a _little_ early for them," Miss Almeria admitted, "but something festal--Johanna will appreciate our motive!") to offer their best wishes. "Our congratulations," Miss Almeria said impressively, "are for Edward."