A more wretched and woebegone face than Mr. Toosypegs displayed, as he turned round, no earthly eye ever fell on before. Ray had turned to the window in convulsions of laughter.
"I ain't well," said Mr. Toosypegs, mournfully, as he took up his hat. "I've got a pain somewhere, and I guess I'll go home. Good-morning, Mrs. Two-Shoes. I'm very much obliged to you, I'm sure."
And slowly and dejectedly Mr. Toosypegs crushed his hat over his eyes, and turned his steps in the direction of Dismal Hollow.
"Poor Horlander!" said Pet; "if he isn't scared out of his wits, if he ever had any. Say, Goody, won't you tell my fortune, too?"
"Come hither, scoffer," said the sibyl, with solemn sternness. "Appear, and learn the dark doom Destiny has in store for thee. Fate, that rules the fortunes of men as well as little yaller gals, will make you laugh on 'tother side of your mouth, one of these days."
"Oh, Hamlet! what a falling off was there!" quoted Ray, laughing. "What a short jump that was from the sublime! Don't pile on the agony too high, Mother Awful."
"Peace, irreverent mortal!" said Goody Two-Shoes giving her snuff-box a solemn wave; "peace, while I foretell the future fate of this tawny little mortal before me!"
"Well, if you ain't the politest old lady!" ejaculated Pet. "But go on; I don't mind being called ugly, now. I'm getting used to it, and rather like it."
"You'll never be drowned," began the sibyl, looking down prophetically in Pet's little dark palm.
"Well, that's pleasant, anyway," said Pet.
"Because you were born to be hanged," went on the old woman, unheeding the interruption.
"Well, I never saw a number on one of 'em yet," interrupted the incorrigible Petronilla.
"Peace, scoffer!" exclaimed the beldame, fiercely. "The fates disclose a speedy change in thy destiny."
"I expect they do," said Pet; "for I'm going to be sent to school soon."
"Some dark torture is in store for you, an agony that nothing can alleviate, a nameless secret misery--"
"Perhaps it's the colic," suggested Pet "If it is, I ain't afraid; 'cause gin and water will cure it."
"Silence, girl! and mock not destiny thus. At some future day, you will be a wife."
"Well there ain't anything very wonderful in that, I'm sure; I didn't need to be told that. You didn't expect I'd be an old maid--did you?" said Pet.