At this juncture, Miss Mally Glencairn was announced: she entered,
holding a letter from Mrs. Pringle in her hand, with the seal unbroken.
Having heard of the marriage from an acquaintance in the street, she had
hurried home, in the well-founded expectation of hearing from her friend
and well-wisher, and taking up the letter, which she found on her table,
came with all speed to Miss Isabella Tod to commune with her on the
tidings.
Never was any confluence of visitors more remarkable than on this
occasion. Before Miss Mally had well explained the cause of her abrupt
intrusion, Mr. Micklewham made his appearance. He had come to Irvine to
be measured for a new coat, and meeting by accident with Saunders Dickie,
got the Doctor's letter from him, which, after reading, he thought he
could do no less than call at Mrs. Tod's, to let Miss Isabella know the
change which had taken place in the condition of her friend.
Thus were all the correspondents of the Pringles assembled, by the merest
chance, like the dramatis personae at the end of a play. After a
little harmless bantering, it was agreed that Miss Mally should read her
communication first--as all the others were previously acquainted with
the contents of their respective letters, and Miss Mally read as
follows:-
LETTER XXX
Mrs. Pringle to Miss Mally Glencairn DEAR MISS MALLY--I hav a cro to pik with you conserning yoor comishon
aboot the partickels for your friends. You can hav no noshon what the
Doctor and me suffert on the head of the flooring shrubs. We took your
Nota Beny as it was spilt, and went from shop to shop enquirin in a most
partiklar manner for "a Gardner's Bell, or the least of all flowering
plants"; but sorrow a gardner in the whole tot here in London ever had
heard of sic a thing; so we gave the porshoot up in despare. Howsomever,
one of Andrew's acquaintance--a decent lad, who is only son to a saddler
in a been way, that keeps his own carriage, and his son a coryikel,
happent to call, and the Doctor told him what ill socsess we had in our
serch for the gardner's bell; upon which he sought a sight of your
yepissle, and read it as a thing that was just wonderful for its
whorsogroffie; and then he sayid, that looking at the prinsipol of your
spilling, he thought we should reed, "a gardner's bill, or a list of all
flooring plants"; whilk being no doot your intent, I have proqurt the
same, and it is included heerin. But, Miss Mally, I would advize you to
be more exac in your inditing, that no sic torbolashon may hippen on a
future okashon.