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037 - Domestic Diplomacy · Wives and Daughters

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  Speaker 1: Chapter thirty six of Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell.
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  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, Chapter thirty six,
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  Speaker 1: Domestic Diplomacy. The evening of the day on which mister
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  Speaker 1: Gibson had been to see the Squire, the three women
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  Speaker 1: were alone in the drawing room, for mister Gibson had
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  Speaker 1: had a long round and was not as yet to
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  Speaker 1: come in. They had had to wait dinner for him,
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  Speaker 1: and for some time after his return there was nothing
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  Speaker 1: done or said but what related to the necessary business
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  Speaker 1: of eating. Mister Gibson was perhaps as well satisfied with
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  Speaker 1: his day's work as any of the four, for this
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  Speaker 1: visit to the Squire had been weighing on his mind
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  Speaker 1: ever since he had heard of the state of things
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  Speaker 1: between Roger and Cynthia. He did not like the having
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  Speaker 1: to go and tell of a love affair so soon
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  Speaker 1: after he had declared his belief that no such thing existed.
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  Speaker 1: It was a confession of fallibility, which is distasteful to
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  Speaker 1: most men. If the Squire had not been of so
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  Speaker 1: unsuspicious and simple a name, he might have drawn his
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  Speaker 1: own conclusions from the apparent concealment of facts, and felt
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  Speaker 1: doubtful of mister Gibson's perfect honesty in the business, but
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  Speaker 1: being what he was, there was no danger of such
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  Speaker 1: unjust misapprehension. Still, mister Gibson knew the hot, hasty temper
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  Speaker 1: he had to deal with, and had expected more violence
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  Speaker 1: of language than he really encountered. And the last arrangement
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  Speaker 1: by which Cynthia, her mother, and Molly, who, as mister
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  Speaker 1: Gibson thought to himself and smiled at the thought, was
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  Speaker 1: sure to be a peacemaker and a sweetener of intercourse,
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  Speaker 1: were to go to the hall and make acquaintance with
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  Speaker 1: the Squire, appeared like a great success to mister Gibson
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  Speaker 1: for achieving which he took not a little credit to himself. Altogether,
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  Speaker 1: he was more cheerful and bland than he had been
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  Speaker 1: for many days. And when he came up to the
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  Speaker 1: drawing room a few minutes after dinner, before going out
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  Speaker 1: again to see his town patients, he whistled a little
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  Speaker 1: under his breath as he stood with his back to
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  Speaker 1: the fire, looking at Cynthia, and thinking that he had
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  Speaker 1: not done her justice when describing her to the Squire. Now,
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  Speaker 1: this soft, almost tuneless whistling was to mister Gibson what
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  Speaker 1: purring is to a cat. He could no more have
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  Speaker 1: done it with an anxious case on his mind, or
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  Speaker 1: when he was annoyed by human folly, or when he
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  Speaker 1: was hungry, than he could have flown through the air.
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  Speaker 1: Molly knew all this by instinct, and was happy without
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  Speaker 1: being aware of it, as soon as she heard the
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  Speaker 1: low whistle, which was no music after all. But missus
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  Speaker 1: Gibson did not like this trick of her husband's. It
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  Speaker 1: was not refined, she thought, not even artistic. If she
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  Speaker 1: could have called it by this fine word, it would
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  Speaker 1: have compensated her for the want of refinement to night,
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  Speaker 1: it was particularly irritating to her nerves, but since her
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  Speaker 1: conversation with mister Gibson about Cynthia's engagement, she had not
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  Speaker 1: felt herself in a sufficiently good position to complain. Mister
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  Speaker 1: Gibson began, well.
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  Speaker 2: Cynthia, I've seen the squire to day and made a
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  Speaker 2: clean breast of it.
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  Speaker 1: Cynthia looked up quickly, questioning with her eyes. Molly stopped
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  Speaker 1: her netting to listen. No one spoke.
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  Speaker 2: You're all to go there on Thursday to lunch, he asked,
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  Speaker 2: you all, And I promised.
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  Speaker 1: For you still no reply, natural, perhaps, but very flat.
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  Speaker 2: You'll be glad of that, Cynthia, shan't.
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  Speaker 1: You, asked mister Gibson.
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  Speaker 2: It may be a little formidable, but I hope it
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  Speaker 2: will be the beginning of a good understanding between you.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you, said she with an effort.
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  Speaker 3: But but won't it make it public? I do so
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  Speaker 3: wish not to have it known or talked about, not
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  Speaker 3: till he comes back or close upon the marriage.
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  Speaker 2: I don't see how it should make it.
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  Speaker 1: Public, said mister Gibson.
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  Speaker 2: My wife goes to lunch with my friend and takes
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  Speaker 2: her daughters with her. There's nothing in that is there.
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  Speaker 4: I am not sure that I shall go.
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  Speaker 1: Put in missus Gibson. She did not know why she
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  Speaker 1: said it, for she fully intended to go all the time.
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  Speaker 1: But having said it, she was bound to stick to
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  Speaker 1: it for a little while, And with such a husband
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  Speaker 1: as hers, the hard necessity was sure to fall upon
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  Speaker 1: her of having to find a reason for her saying.
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  Speaker 1: Then it came quick and sharp? Why not, said he,
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  Speaker 1: turning round upon her.
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  Speaker 4: Oh, because because I think he ought to have called
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  Speaker 4: on Cynthia first. I've that sort of sensitiveness. I can't
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  Speaker 4: bear to think of her being slighted because she is poor.
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  Speaker 1: Nonsense, said mister Gibson.
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  Speaker 2: I do assure you no slight whatever was intended. He
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  Speaker 2: does not wish to speak about the engagement to any one,
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  Speaker 2: not even to Osborne. That's your wish too, isn't it, Cynthia,
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  Speaker 2: Nor does he intend to mention it to any of
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  Speaker 2: you when you go there. But naturally enough, he wants
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  Speaker 2: to make acquaintance with his future daughter in law if
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  Speaker 2: he deviated so much from his usual course as to
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  Speaker 2: come calling here.
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  Speaker 4: I am sure I don't want him to come calling.
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  Speaker 1: Here, said Missus Gibson, interrupting.
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  Speaker 4: He was not so very agreeable the only time he
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  Speaker 4: did come. But I am that sort of a character
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  Speaker 4: that I cannot put up with any neglect of persons
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  Speaker 4: I love, just because they are not smiled upon my fortune.
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  Speaker 1: She sighed a little ostentatiously as she ended her sentence.
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  Speaker 2: Well then you won't go, said.
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  Speaker 1: Mister Gibson, provoked, but not wishing to have a long discussion,
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  Speaker 1: especially as he felt his temper going. Do you wiship, Cynthia,
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  Speaker 1: said missus Gibson, anxious for an excuse to yield. But
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  Speaker 1: her daughter was quite aware of this motive for the question,
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  Speaker 1: and replied quietly.
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  Speaker 3: Not particularly, Mamma. I am quite willing to refuse the invitation.
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  Speaker 2: It is already accepted.
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  Speaker 1: Said mister Gibson, almost ready to vow that he would never.
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  Speaker 2: Again meddle in any affair in which women were concerned,
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  Speaker 2: which would effectually shut him out from all love affairs
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  Speaker 2: for the future. He had been touched by the Squire's
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  Speaker 2: relenting pleased with what he had thought would give others pleasure.
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  Speaker 2: This was the end of it.
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  Speaker 1: Oh, do go, Cynthia, said Molly, pleading with her eyes
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  Speaker 1: as well as her words.
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  Speaker 2: Do.
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  Speaker 5: I am sure you will like the Squire, and it
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  Speaker 5: is such a pretty place, and he will be so
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  Speaker 5: much disappointed.
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  Speaker 3: I should not like to give up my dignity.
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  Speaker 1: Said Cynthia demurely.
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  Speaker 3: And you heard what mamma said.
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  Speaker 1: It was very malicious of her. She fully intended to go,
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  Speaker 1: and was equally sure that her mother was already planning
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  Speaker 1: her as for the occasion in her own mind. Mister Gibson, however,
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  Speaker 1: who surgeon, though he was, had never learnt to anatomize
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  Speaker 1: a woman's heart, took it all literally and was excessively
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  Speaker 1: angry both with Cynthia and her mother, so angry that
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  Speaker 1: he did not dare trust himself to speak. He went
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  Speaker 1: quickly to the door, intending to leave the room, but
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  Speaker 1: his wife's voice arrested him.
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  Speaker 4: She said, my dear, do you wish me to go?
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  Speaker 4: If you do, I will put my own feelings on
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  Speaker 4: one side.
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  Speaker 1: Of course I do, he said, short and stern, and
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  Speaker 1: left the room. Then I'll go, said she, in the
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  Speaker 1: voice of a victim. Those words were meant for him,
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  Speaker 1: but he hardly heard them.
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  Speaker 4: And we'll have a fly from the George and get
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  Speaker 4: a livery coat for Thomas, which I've long been wanting.
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  Speaker 4: Only dear mister Gibson did not like it. But on
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  Speaker 4: an occasion like this, I'm sure he won't mind, and
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  Speaker 4: Thomas shall go on the box.
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  Speaker 1: And but Mamma, I've my feelings too, said Cynthia.
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  Speaker 4: Nonsense child, when all is so nicely arranged too.
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  Speaker 1: So they went on the day appointed. Mister Gibson was
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  Speaker 1: aware of the change of plans that they were going
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  Speaker 1: after all, but he was so much annoyed by the
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  Speaker 1: manner in which his wife had received an invitation that
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  Speaker 1: appeared to him so much kinder than he had expected
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  Speaker 1: from his previous knowledge of the Squire and his wishes
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  Speaker 1: on the subject of his son's marriage. That Missus Gibson
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  Speaker 1: heard neither interest nor curiosity expressed by her husband as
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  Speaker 1: to the visit itself or the reception they met with.
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  Speaker 1: Cynthia's indifference as to whether the invitation was accepted or
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  Speaker 1: not had displeased mister Gibson. He was not up to
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  Speaker 1: her ways with her mother, and did not understand how
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  Speaker 1: much of this said indifference had been assumed in order
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  Speaker 1: to countervent Missus Gibson's affectation and false sentiment. But for
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  Speaker 1: all his annoyance on the subject, he was in fact
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  Speaker 1: very curious to know how the visit had gone off,
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  Speaker 1: and took the first opportunity of being alone with Molly
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  Speaker 1: to question her about the lunch of the day before
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  Speaker 1: at Hamley Hall.
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  Speaker 2: And so you went to Hamley yesterday? After all?
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  Speaker 5: Yes, I thought you would have come. The Squire seemed
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  Speaker 5: quite to expect you.
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  Speaker 2: I thought of going there at first, but I changed
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  Speaker 2: my mind. Like other people, I don't see why women
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  Speaker 2: are to have a monopoly of changeableness. Well, how did
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  Speaker 2: it go off? Pleasantly? I suppose? For both your mother
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  Speaker 2: and Cynthia were in high spirits last night.
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  Speaker 5: Yes, the dear old Squire was in his best dress
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  Speaker 5: and on his best behavior, and was so prettily attentive
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  Speaker 5: to Cynthia, And she looked so lovely walking about with
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  Speaker 5: him and listening to all his talk about the garden
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  Speaker 5: and farm. Mamma was tired and stopped indoors. So they
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  Speaker 5: got on very well and saw a great deal of
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  Speaker 5: each other.
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  Speaker 2: And my little girl trotted behind.
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  Speaker 5: Oh, yes, you know I was almost at home. And besides,
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  Speaker 5: of course.
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  Speaker 1: Molly went very red and left the sentence unfinished.
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  Speaker 2: Do you think she's worthy of him?
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  Speaker 1: Asked her father, just as if she had completed her speech.
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  Speaker 5: Of Roger Papa? Oh who is? But she is very
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  Speaker 5: sweet and very very charming.
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  Speaker 2: Very charming, if you will. But somehow I don't quite
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  Speaker 2: understand her. Why does she want all this secrecy? Why
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  Speaker 2: was she not more eager to go and pay her
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  Speaker 2: duty to Roger's father? She took it as coolly as
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  Speaker 2: if I'd ask her to go to church.
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  Speaker 5: I don't think she did take it coolly. I believe
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  Speaker 5: I don't quite understand her either, but I love her
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  Speaker 5: daily all the same humph.
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  Speaker 2: I like to understand people thoroughly, but I know it's
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  Speaker 2: not necessary to women. Do you really think she's worthy
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  Speaker 2: of him?
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  Speaker 1: Oh, Papa, said Molly, and then she stopped. She wanted
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  Speaker 1: to speak in favor of Cynthia, but somehow she could
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  Speaker 1: form no reply that pleased her. To this repeated inquiry,
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  Speaker 1: he did not seem much to care whether he got
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  Speaker 1: an answer or not, for he went on with his
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  Speaker 1: own thoughts, and the result was that he asked Molly.
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  Speaker 2: If Cynthia had heard from Roger.
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  Speaker 5: Yes, on Wednesday morning?
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  Speaker 2: Did she show it to you? But of course not. Besides,
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  Speaker 2: I read the Squire's letter, which told all about him.
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  Speaker 1: Now. Cynthia, rather to Molly's surprise, had told her that
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  Speaker 1: she might read the letter if she liked, and Molly
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  Speaker 1: had shrunk from availing herself of the permission for Roger's sake.
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  Speaker 1: She thought that he would probably have poured out his
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  Speaker 1: heart to the one sole person, and that it was
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  Speaker 1: not fair to listen, as it were, to his confidences.
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  Speaker 1: Was osborne at home, asked mister Gibson.
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  Speaker 2: The squire said he did not think he would have
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  Speaker 2: come back, But the young fellow was so.
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  Speaker 5: Uncertain no, who was still from home.
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  Speaker 1: Then Molly blushed all over Crimson, for it suddenly struck
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  Speaker 1: her that Osborne was probably with his wife, that mysterious wife,
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  Speaker 1: of whose existence she was cognizant, but of whom she
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  Speaker 1: knew so little, and of whom her father knew nothing.
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  Speaker 1: Mister Gibson noticed the blush with anxiety.
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  Speaker 2: What did it mean? It was troublesome enough to find
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  Speaker 2: that one of the Squire's precious sons had fallen in
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  Speaker 2: love within the prohibited ranks, And what would not have
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  Speaker 2: to be said and done if anything fresh were to
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  Speaker 2: come out between Osborne and Molly.
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  Speaker 1: He spoke out at once to relieve himself of this
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  Speaker 1: new apprehension.
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  Speaker 2: Molly, I was taken by surprise by this affair between
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  Speaker 2: Cynthia and Roger Hamley. If there's anything more on the
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  Speaker 2: tapis let me know at once, honestly and openly. I
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  Speaker 2: know it's an awkward question for you to reply to,
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  Speaker 2: but I wouldn't ask it unless I had good reasons.
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  Speaker 1: He took her hand as he spoke. She looked up
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  Speaker 1: at him with clear, truthful eyes, which filled with tears
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  Speaker 1: as she spoke. She did not know why the tears came.
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  Speaker 1: Perhaps it was because she was not so strong as formerly.
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  Speaker 1: If you mean that you're afraid that Osborne thinks of
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  Speaker 1: me as Roger thinks of Cynthia, Papa, you are quite mistaken.
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  Speaker 1: Osborne and I are friends and nothing more, and never
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  Speaker 1: can be anything more. That's all I can tell you.
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  Speaker 2: It's quite enough, little one. It's a great relief. I
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  Speaker 2: don't want to have my Molly carry it off by
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  Speaker 2: any young man just yet. I should miss her sadly.
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  Speaker 1: He could not help saying this in the fullness of
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  Speaker 1: his heart just then, but he was surprised at the
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  Speaker 1: effect these few tender words produced. Molly threw her arms
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  Speaker 1: around his neck and began to sob bitterly, her head
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  Speaker 1: lying on his shoulder. There there, said he, patting her
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  Speaker 1: on the back and leading her to the sofa.
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  Speaker 2: That will do. I get quite enough of tears in
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  Speaker 2: the day, shed for real causes, not to want them
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  Speaker 2: at home, where I hope they are shed for no
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  Speaker 2: cause at all. There's nothing really the matter, is there,
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  Speaker 2: my dear.
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  Speaker 1: He continued, holding her a little away from him that
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  Speaker 1: he might look in her face. She smiled at him
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  Speaker 1: through her tears, and he did not see the look
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  Speaker 1: of sadness which returned to her face after he had
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  Speaker 1: left her.
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  Speaker 5: Nothing deare, dear Papa nothing now. It is such a
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  Speaker 5: comfort to have you all to myself. It makes me happy.
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  Speaker 1: Mister Gibson knew all implied in these words, and felt
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  Speaker 1: that there was no effectual help for the state of
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  Speaker 1: things which had arisen from his own act. It was
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  Speaker 1: better for them both that they should not speak out
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  Speaker 1: more fully. So he kissed her and said, that's right.
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  Speaker 2: Dear, I can leave you in comfort now, And indeed
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  Speaker 2: I've stayed too long already gossiping. Go out and have
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  Speaker 2: a walk, take Cynthia with you if you like. I
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  Speaker 2: must be off. Good bye, little one.
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  Speaker 1: His commonplace words acted like an estringent on Molly's relaxed feelings.
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  Speaker 1: He intended that they should do so. It was the
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  Speaker 1: truest kindness to her, But he walked away from her
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  Speaker 1: with a sharp pang in his heart, which he stunned
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  Speaker 1: into numbness as soon as he could by throwing himself
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  Speaker 1: violently into the affairs and cares of others. End of
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  Speaker 1: Chapter thirty six.