Would n't you , May ? '' Though May did n't say yes , she certainly did n't say no , or express no , by any means . Tackleton laughed -- quite shouted , he laughed so loud . John Peerybingle laughed too , in his ordinary good-natured and contented manner ; but his was a mere whisper of a laugh to Tackleton 's . `` You could n't help yourselves , for all that . You could n't resist us , you see , '' said Tackleton . `` Here we are ! Here we are ! Where are your gay young bridegrooms now ? '' `` Some of them are dead , '' said Dot ; `` and some of them forgotten . Some of them , if they could stand among us at this moment , would not believe we were the same creatures ; would not believe that what they saw and heard was real , and we could forget them so . No ! they would not believe one word of it ! '' `` Why , Dot ! '' exclaimed the Carrier . `` Little woman ! '' She had spoken with such earnestness and fire , that she stood in need of some recalling to herself , without doubt . Her husband 's check was very gentle , for he merely interfered , as he supposed , to shield old Tackleton ; but it proved effectual , for she stopped , and said no more . There was an uncommon agitation , even in her silence , which the wary Tackleton , who had brought his half-shut eye to bear upon her , noted closely , and remembered to some purpose too . May uttered no word , good or bad , but sat quite still , with her eyes cast down , and made no sign of interest in what had passed .
The good lady her mother now interposed , observing , in the first instance , that girls were girls , and bygones bygones , and that , so long as young people were young and thoughtless , they would probably conduct themselves like young and thoughtless persons : with two or three other positions XXXXX a no less sound and incontrovertible character .
Though among as for if in of that to with