Taking advantage of this crisis in her feelings , the Expedition embraced her ; and she very soon had her gloves on , and was on her way to John Peerybingle 's in a state of unimpeachable gentility ; with a paper parcel at her side containing a cap of state , almost as tall , and quite as stiff , as a mitre . Then , there were Dot 's father and mother to come in another little chaise ; and they were behind their time ; and fears were entertained ; and there was much looking out for them down the road ; and Mrs. Fielding always would look in the wrong and morally impossible direction ; and , being apprised thereof , hoped she might take the liberty of looking where she pleased . At last they came ; a chubby little couple , jogging along in a snug and comfortable little way that quite belonged to the Dot family ; and Dot and her mother , side by side , were wonderful to see . They were so like each other . Then Dot 's mother had to renew her acquaintance with May 's mother ; and May 's mother always stood on her gentility ; and Dot 's mother never stood on anything but her active little feet . And old Dot -- so to call Dot 's father , I forgot it was n't his right name , but never mind -- took liberties , and shook hands at first sight , and seemed to think a cap but so much starch and muslin , and did n't defer himself at all to the Indigo Trade , but said there was no help for it now ; and , in Mrs. Fielding 's summing up , was a good-natured kind of man -- but coarse , my dear . I would n't have missed Dot , doing the honours in her wedding-gown , my benison on her bright face ! for any money . No ! nor the good Carrier , so jovial and so ruddy , at the bottom of the table . Nor the brown , fresh sailor-fellow , and his handsome wife . Nor any one among them . To have missed the dinner would have been to miss as jolly and as stout a meal as man need eat ; and to have missed the overflowing cups in which they drank The Wedding Day would have been the greatest miss of all . After dinner Caleb sang the song about the Sparkling Bowl . As I 'm a living man , hoping to keep so for a year or two , he sang it through . And , by-the-bye , a most unlooked-for incident occurred , just as he finished the last verse . There was a tap at the door ; and a man came staggering in , without saying with your leave , or by your leave , with something heavy on his head . Setting this down in the middle of the table , symmetrically in the centre of the nuts and apples , he said : `` Mr. Tackleton 's compliments , and , as he has n't got no use for the cake himself , p ` raps you 'll eat it . '' And , with those words , he walked off . There was some surprise among the company , as you may imagine .
Mrs. Fielding , being a lady XXXXX infinite discernment , suggested that the cake was poisoned , and related a narrative of a cake which , within her knowledge , had turned a seminary for young ladies blue .
After To about as at for in of on through