By this time they had reached the hall door-steps, where Geoffrey, in full evening dress and the usual flower in his button-hole, was awaiting them. “At last!” he exclaimed. “So you have really come home. Well, you did not hurry yourselves,” he said, escorting them into the hall. “We began to think you had eloped--gone off together into some elegant retirement in the style of a second honeymoon.” “Geoffrey!” cried Alice, in an agony of blushes. “Don’t ‘Geoffrey’ me, my good girl, but go and get ready for dinner as quickly as you can; I’m _starving_.” END OF VOL. II. CHARLES DICKENS AND EVANS CRYSTAL PALACE PRESS.