`` Only to remember how we used to talk , at school , about the husbands we would choose . I do n't know how young , and how handsome , and how gay , and how lively mine was not to be ! And as to May 's ! -- Ah dear ! I do n't know whether to laugh or cry , when I think what silly girls we were . '' May seemed to know which to do ; for the colour flashed into her face , and tears stood in her eyes . `` Even the very persons themselves -- real live young men -- we fixed on sometimes , '' said Dot . `` We little thought how things would come about . I never fixed on John , I 'm sure ; I never so much as thought of him . And , if I had told you you were ever to be married to Mr. Tackleton , why , you 'd have slapped me . 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 , XXXXX 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 .
Though at by for if in into of on to