There was a moment of perfect silence.  Then every body looked at Gabriel except his mother, whose eyes were so full of tears that she could see nothing.  Gabriel himself was entirely surprised.  He had had no hint from Lawrence Newt of this good fortune.  He had worked faithfully, constantly, and intelligently—­honestly, of course—­that was all Gabriel knew about his position.  He had been for some time confidential clerk, so that he was fully cognizant of the state of the business, and knew how prosperous it was.  And yet, in this moment of delight and astonishment, he had but one feeling, which seemed entirely alien and inadequate to the occasion, for it was merely the hope that now he might be a regular visitor at the house of Boniface Newt.

Hope Wayne’s eye had hung upon Lawrence Newt, during the little speech he had made, so intently, that Arthur Merlin’s merriment had been entirely checked.  He found himself curiously out of spirits.  Until that moment, and especially after the little conversation between Hope and Gabriel, in which Abel Newt’s name had been mentioned, Arthur had thought it, upon the whole, the pleasantest little dinner he had ever known.  He was not of the same opinion now.

Edward Wynne and Ellen Bennet showed entire satisfaction with the dinner, and especially with Lawrence Newt’s toast.  And when the first hum of applause and pleasure had ceased, Edward cried out lustily,

“A speech from the junior partner!  A speech! a speech!”

There was a general call.  Gabriel could not help rising, and blushing, and bowing, and stuttering, and sitting down again, amidst tempestuous applause, without the slightest coherent idea of what he had said, except that he was very happy, and very glad, and very sure, and very, etc., etc.

But he did not care a song for what he had said, nor for the applause that greeted it, when he saw certain blue eyes glistening, and a soft shyness upon certain cheeks and lips, as if they had themselves been speaking, and had been saying—­what was palpably, undeniably, conspicuously true—­that they were very happy, and very glad, and very sure, and very, etc., etc.  Very, indeed!

CHAPTER LIX.

MRS. ALFRED DINKS.

It was but a few days after the dinner that the junior partner was taking the old path that led under the tower of the fairy princess, when lo! he met her in the way.  In her eyes there was that sweet light of expectation and happiness which illuminated all Gabriel’s thoughts of her, and persuaded him that he was the happiest and unworthiest of men.

“Where are you going, May?”

“I am going to Fanny’s.”

“May I go too?”

May Newt looked at him and said, gravely, “No, I am going to ask Little Malacca to go with me.”

“Oh, very well,” replied Mr. Gabriel Bennet, with equal gravity.