“Oh, Roland, Mrs. Boffin has sent us a silver inkstand; isn’t it sweet of her?”

“Muriel, come and look at these candlesticks; they are beauties.”

And letters of eager thanks were written. After a week or so the game began to lose its fascination. The gifts resembled each other; they began to forget who had given what, and as they wrote the letters of acknowledgment they would shout to each other in despair:

“Oh, Roland, do tell me what Mr. Fitzherbert sent us!”

“I can’t remember. I’m trying to think who I’ve got to thank for that butter-dish.”

“The butter-dish!—that was Mr. Robinson—but Mr. Fitzherbert?”

“But the butter-dish wasn’t Mr. Robinson; he was the clock!”

“Then it was Mrs. Evans; and, Roland, do, do think what Mr. Fitzherbert gave us.”

And so it went on, till at last they began to show a decided preference for checks.

And there was the honeymoon: that had to be arranged. Muriel would rather like to have gone abroad.