Squeers knew as well in her heart of hearts, that what the miserable serving girl had said was sheer coarse lying flattery, as did the girl herself; yet the mere opportunity of venting a little ill-nature against the offending Miss Price, and affecting to compassionate her weaknesses and foibles, though only in the presence of a solitary dependant, was almost as great a relief to her spleen as if the whole had been gospel truth. Nay more. We have such extraordinary powers of persuasion when they are excited over ourselves, that Miss Squeers felt quite high- minded and great after her noble renunciation of John Browdie's hand, and looked down upon her rival with a kind of holy calmness and tranquillity, that had a mighty effect in soothing her ruffled feelings.
This happy state of mind had some influence in bringing about a reconciliation; for when a knock came at the front door next day, and the miller's daughter was announced. Miss Squeers betook herself to the parlour in a Christian frame of spirit perfectly beautiful to behold.
"Well, Fanny," said the miller's daughter, "you see I have come to see you, although we had some words last night."
"I pity your bad passions, 'Tilda," replied Miss Squeers; "but I bear no malice. I am above it."
"Don't be cross, Fanny," said Miss Price. "I have come to tell you something that I know will please you."
"What may that be, 'Tilda?" demanded Miss Squeers; screwing up her lips, and looking as if nothing in earth, air, fire, or water, could afford her the slightest gleam of satisfaction.
"This," rejoined Miss Price. "After we left here last night, John and I had a dreadful quarrel."
"That doesn't please me," said Miss Squeers—relaxing into a smile though.
"Lor! I wouldn't think so bad of you as to suppose it did," rejoined her companion. "That's not it."
"Oh!" said Miss Squeers, relapsing into melancholy. "Go on."
"After a great deal of wrangling and saying we would never see each other any more," continued Miss Price, "we made it up, and this morning John went and wrote our names down to be put up for the first time next Sunday, so we shall be married in three weeks, and I give you notice to get your frock made."
There was mingled gall and honey in this intelligence. The prospect of the friend's being married so soon was the gall, and the certainty of her not entertaining serious designs upon Nicholas was the honey. Upon the whole, the sweet greatly preponderated over the bitter, so Miss Squeers said she would get the frock made, and that she hoped 'Tilda might be happy, though at the same time she didn't know, and would not have her build too much upon it, for men were strange creatures, and a great many married women were very miserable, and wished themselves single again with all their hearts; to which condolences Miss Squeers added others equally calculated to raise her friend's spirits and promote her cheerfulness of mind.
"But come now, Fanny," said Miss Price, "I want to have a word or two with you about young Mr. Nickleby."
