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036 - The Mothers Manoeuvre · Wives and Daughters

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Speaker 1: Chapter thirty five of Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell.
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Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter thirty five,
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Speaker 1: The Mother's Maneuver. Mister Gibson was not at home at dinner,
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Speaker 1: detained by some patient. Most probably this was not an
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Speaker 1: unusual occurrence, but it was rather an unusual occurrence for
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Speaker 1: Missus Gibson to go down into the dining room and
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Speaker 1: sit with him as he ate his deferred meal when
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Speaker 1: he came in an hour or two later. In general,
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Speaker 1: she preferred her easy chair or her corner of the
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Speaker 1: sofa upstairs in the drawing room, though it was very
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Speaker 1: rarely that she would allow Molly to avail herself of
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Speaker 1: her stepmother's neglected privilege. Molly would fain have gone down
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Speaker 1: and kept her father company every night that he had
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Speaker 1: these solitary meals, but for peace and quietness, she gave
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Speaker 1: up her own wishes on the matter. Missus Gibson took
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Speaker 1: a seat by the fire in the dining room and
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Speaker 1: patiently waited for the auspicious moment when mister Gibson, having
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Speaker 1: satisfied his healthy appetite, turned from the table and took
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Speaker 1: his place by her side. She got up, and, with
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Speaker 1: unaccustomed attention, moved the wine and glasses so that he
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Speaker 1: could help himself without moving from his chair.
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Speaker 2: There. Now, are you comfortable, for I have a great
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Speaker 2: piece of news to tell you, said she.
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Speaker 1: When all was arranged, I thought there was something on hand,
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Speaker 1: said he, smiling.
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Speaker 3: Now for it.
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Speaker 2: Roger Hamley has been here this afternoon to bid us
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Speaker 2: good bye.
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Speaker 3: Good bye? Is he gone? I didn't know he was
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Speaker 3: going so.
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Speaker 1: Soon, exclaimed mister Gibson.
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Speaker 2: Yes, never mind, that's not it.
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Speaker 3: But tell me has he left this neighborhood. I wanted
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Speaker 3: to have seen him.
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Speaker 2: Yes, yes, he left, love and regret and all that
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Speaker 2: sort of thing for you. Now, let me get on
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Speaker 2: with my story. He found Cynthia alone, proposed to her
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Speaker 2: and was accepted.
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Speaker 3: Cynthia, Roger proposed to her, and she accepted.
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Speaker 1: Repeated mister Gibson slowly.
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Speaker 2: Yes, to be sure, Why not you speak as if
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Speaker 2: it was something so very surprising?
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Speaker 3: Did I? But I am surprised. He's a very fine
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Speaker 3: young fellow, and I wish Cynthia joy. But do you
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Speaker 3: like it? It will have to be a very long engagement.
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Speaker 1: Perhaps, said she in a knowing manner.
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Speaker 3: At any rate, he will be away for two years.
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Speaker 1: Said mister Gibson.
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Speaker 2: A great deal may happen in two years, she.
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Speaker 3: Replied, Yes, he will have to run many risks and
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Speaker 3: go into many dangers, and we'll come back no nearer
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Speaker 3: to the power of maintaining a wife than when he
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Speaker 3: went out.
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Speaker 1: I don't know that, she replied, still in the arch
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Speaker 1: manner of one possessing superior knowledge.
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Speaker 2: A little bird did tell me that Osborne's life is
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Speaker 2: not so very secure? And then what will Roger be
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Speaker 2: heir to the estate?
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Speaker 3: Who told you that about Osborne?
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Speaker 1: Said? He facing round upon her and being her with
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Speaker 1: his sudden sternness of voice and manner, it seemed as
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Speaker 1: if absolute fire came out of his long, dark, somber eyes.
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Speaker 3: Who told you? I say, she.
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Speaker 1: Made a faint rally back into her former playfulness.
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Speaker 2: Why can you deny it? Is it not the truth?
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Speaker 3: I ask you again, Hyacinth? Who told you that Osborne
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Speaker 3: Hamley's life is in more danger than mine or yours?
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Speaker 2: Oh, don't speak in that frightening way. My life is
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Speaker 2: not in danger, I am sure, nor yours either.
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Speaker 1: Love I hope He gave an impatient movement and knocked
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Speaker 1: a wine glass off the table for the moment. She
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Speaker 1: felt grateful for the diversion, and busied herself in picking
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Speaker 1: up the fragments. Bits of glass were so dangerous, she said,
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Speaker 1: But she was startled by a voice of command such
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Speaker 1: as she had never yet heard from her husband.
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Speaker 3: Never mind the glass. I ask you again, Hyacinth, who
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Speaker 3: told you anything about Osborne Hamley's state of house.
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Speaker 2: I am sure I wish no harm to him, and
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Speaker 2: I daresay he is in very good health, as you.
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Speaker 1: Say, whispered she at last, who tall began He again,
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Speaker 1: sterner than ever.
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Speaker 2: Well, if you will know, and I'll make such a
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Speaker 2: fuss about.
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Speaker 1: It, said she, driven to extremity.
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Speaker 2: It was you yourself, you or doctor Nicholls. I'm sure
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Speaker 2: I forget which.
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Speaker 3: I never spoke to you on the subject, and I
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Speaker 3: don't believe Nicholls dead. You'd better tell me at once
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Speaker 3: what you are alluding to, for I'm resolved. I'll have
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Speaker 3: it out before we leave this room.
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Speaker 2: I wish I'd never married again.
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Speaker 1: She said, now fairly crying and looking round the room
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Speaker 1: as if in vain searched for a mouse hole in
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Speaker 1: which to hide herself. Then, as if the sight of
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Speaker 1: the door into the storeroom gave her courage. She turned
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Speaker 1: and faced him.
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Speaker 2: You should not talk your medical secrets so loud then,
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Speaker 2: if you don't want people to hear them. I had
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Speaker 2: to go into the storeroom that day. Doctor Nicholls was here.
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Speaker 2: Cook wanted a jar of preserve and stopped me just
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Speaker 2: as I was going out. I am sure it was
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Speaker 2: for no pleasure of mine, for I was sadly afraid
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Speaker 2: of sticking my gloves. It was all that you might
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Speaker 2: have a comfortable dinner.
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Speaker 1: She looked as if she was going to cry again,
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Speaker 1: but he gravely motioned her to go on, merely saying.
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Speaker 3: Well, you overheard our conversation. I suppose not.
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Speaker 1: Much, She answered eagerly, almost relieved by being thus helped
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Speaker 1: out in her forced confession.
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Speaker 2: Only a sentence or two.
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Speaker 3: What were they?
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Speaker 2: He asked, why you had just been saying something, and
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Speaker 2: doctor Nicholls said, if he has got aneurysm of the aorta,
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Speaker 2: his days are numbered.
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Speaker 3: Well anything more.
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Speaker 2: Yes, you said, I hope to God. I may be mistaken,
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Speaker 2: but there is a pretty clear indication of symptoms in
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Speaker 2: my opinion.
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Speaker 3: How do you know we were speaking of Osborne Hamley?
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Speaker 1: He asked, perhaps in hopes of throwing her off the scent.
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Speaker 1: But as soon as she perceived that he was descending
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Speaker 1: to her level of subterfuge, she took courage and said,
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Speaker 1: in quite a different tone to the coward one which
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Speaker 1: she had been using.
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Speaker 2: Oh, I know I heard his name mentioned by you
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Speaker 2: both before I began to listen.
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Speaker 3: Then you own you dead lesson, yes.
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Speaker 1: Said she, hesitating a little.
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Speaker 3: Now, and pray, how do you come to remember so
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Speaker 3: exactly the name of the disease spoken of?
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Speaker 2: Because I went now, don't be angry. I really can't
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Speaker 2: see any harm in what I did.
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Speaker 3: Then don't deprecate anger.
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Speaker 2: You went into the surgery and looked it out. Why
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Speaker 2: might not I?
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Speaker 1: Mister Gibson did not answer, did not look at her.
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Speaker 1: His face was very pale, and both forehead and lips
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Speaker 1: were contracted at length. He roused himself, sighed and said.
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Speaker 3: Well, I suppose, as one bruise, one must bake.
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Speaker 2: I don't understand what you mean, paluted.
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Speaker 3: She perhaps not, He replied, I suppose that it was
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Speaker 3: what you heard on that occasion that made you change
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Speaker 3: your behavior to Roger Hamley. I've noticed how much more
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Speaker 3: civil you were to him. Of late.
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Speaker 2: If you mean that I have ever got to like
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Speaker 2: him as much as Osborne, you are very much mistaken. No,
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Speaker 2: not even though he is offered to Cynthia and is
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Speaker 2: to be my son in law.
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Speaker 3: Let me know the whole affair you overheard. I will
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Speaker 3: own that it was Osborne about whom we were speaking,
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Speaker 3: though I shall have something to say about that presently.
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Speaker 3: And then, if I understand you rightly, you change your
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Speaker 3: behavior to Roger and made him more welcome to this
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Speaker 3: house than you had ever done before, regarding him as
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Speaker 3: proximate heir to the Hamley estates.
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Speaker 2: I don't know what you mean by proximate.
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Speaker 3: Go into the surgery and look into the dictionary.
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Speaker 1: Then, said he, losing his temper for the first time
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Speaker 1: during the conversation. I knew, said she, through sobs and tears.
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Speaker 2: That Roger had taken a fancy to Cynthia. Any one
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Speaker 2: might see that. And as long as Roger was only
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Speaker 2: a younger son with no profession and nothing but his fellowship,
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Speaker 2: I thought it right to discourage him as any one would.
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Speaker 2: What a grain of common sense in them for a clumsier,
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Speaker 2: more common awkward, stupid fellow I never saw to be
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Speaker 2: called county.
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Speaker 3: I mean, take care. You'll have to eat your words
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Speaker 3: presently when you come to Fae. He'll have Hamley some day.
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Speaker 1: No, I shan't said she not perceiving his exact drift.
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Speaker 2: You are vexed now because it is not Molly he's
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Speaker 2: in love with, and I call it very unjust and
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Speaker 2: unfair to my poor fatherless girl. I am sure I
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Speaker 2: have always tried to further Molly's interests as if she
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Speaker 2: was my own daughter.
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Speaker 1: Mister Gibson was too indifferent to this accusation to take
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Speaker 1: any notice of it. He returned to what was of
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Speaker 1: far more importance to him.
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Speaker 3: The point I want to be clear about is this,
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Speaker 3: did you or did you not alter your behavior to
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Speaker 3: Roger in consequence of what you overheard of my professional
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Speaker 3: conversation with doctor Nichols. Have you not favored his suit
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Speaker 3: to Cynthia since then on the understanding gathered from that
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Speaker 3: conversation that he stood a good chance of inheriting Hamley.
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Speaker 2: I suppose I did, said she sulkily, and if I did,
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Speaker 2: I can't see any harm in it that I should
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Speaker 2: be questioned as if I were in a witness box.
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Speaker 2: He was in love with Cynthia long before that conversation,
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Speaker 2: and she liked him so much. It was not for
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Speaker 2: me to cross the path of true love. I don't
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Speaker 2: see how you would have a mother show her love
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Speaker 2: for her child if she may not turn accidental circumstances
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Speaker 2: to her advantage. Perhaps Cynthia might have died if she
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Speaker 2: had been crossed in love. Her poor father was consumptive.
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Speaker 3: Don't you know that all professional conversations are confidential, that
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Speaker 3: it would be the most dishonorable thing possible for me
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Speaker 3: to betray secrets which I learn in the exercise of
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Speaker 3: my profession.
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Speaker 2: Yes, of course you well, and are.
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Speaker 3: Not you and I one in all these respects. You
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Speaker 3: cannot do a dishonorable act without my being inculpated in
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Speaker 3: the disgrace. If it would be a deep disgrace for
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Speaker 3: me to betray a professional secret, what would it be
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Speaker 3: for me to trade on that knowledge?
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Speaker 1: He was trying hard to be patient, but the offense
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Speaker 1: was of that class which galled him insupportably.
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Speaker 2: I don't know what you mean by trading. Trading in
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Speaker 2: a daughter's affections is the last thing I should do,
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Speaker 2: and I should have thought you would be rather glad
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Speaker 2: than otherwise to get Cynthia well married and off your hands.
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Speaker 1: Mister Gibson got up and walked about the room, his
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Speaker 1: hands in his pockets. Once or twice he began to speak,
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Speaker 1: but he stopped impatiently short, without going on.
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Speaker 3: I don't know what to say to you, he said
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Speaker 3: at length. You either can't or won't see what I mean.
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Speaker 3: I'm glad enough to have Cynthia here. I have given
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Speaker 3: her a true welcome, and I sincerely hope she will
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Speaker 3: find this house as much a home as my own
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Speaker 3: daughter does. But for the future I must look out
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Speaker 3: of my doors and double lock the approaches. If I
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Speaker 3: am so foolish as to However, that's past and gone,
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Speaker 3: and it remains with me to prevent its recurrence as
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Speaker 3: far as I can for the future. Now let us
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Speaker 3: hear the present state of affairs.
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Speaker 2: I don't think I ought to tell you anything about it.
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Speaker 2: It is a secret just as much as your mysteries
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Speaker 2: are very well.
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Speaker 3: You have told me enough for me to act upon
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Speaker 3: which I most certainly shall do. It was only the
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Speaker 3: other day I promised the Squire to let him know
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Speaker 3: if I suspected anything, any love affair or entanglement. Much
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Speaker 3: less an engagement between either of his sons and our girls.
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Speaker 2: But this is not an engagement. He would not let
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Speaker 2: it be. So, if you would only listen to me,
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Speaker 2: I could tell you all. Only I do hope you
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Speaker 2: won't go and tell the Squire and everybody. Cynthia did
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Speaker 2: so beg that it might not be known. It is
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Speaker 2: only my unfortunate frankness that has led me into this scrape.
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Speaker 2: I never could keep a secret from those whom I love.
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Speaker 3: I must tell the Squire. I shall not mention it
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Speaker 3: to any one else. And do you quite think it
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Speaker 3: was consistent with your general frankness to have overheard what
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Speaker 3: you did and never to have mentioned it to me.
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Speaker 3: I could have told you then that doctor Nicholl's opinion
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Speaker 3: was decidedly opposed to mine, and that he believed that
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Speaker 3: the disturbance about which I had consulted him on Osborne's
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Speaker 3: behalf was merely temporary. Doctor Nicholls would tell you that
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Speaker 3: Osborne is as likely as any man to live, and
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Speaker 3: marry and beget children.
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Speaker 1: If there was any skill used by mister Gibson so
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Speaker 1: to word this speech as to conceal his own opinion,
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Speaker 1: Missus Gibson was not sharp enough to find it out.
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Speaker 1: She was dismayed, and mister Gibson enjoyed her dismay. It
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Speaker 1: restored him to something like his usual frame of mind.
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Speaker 3: Let us review this misfortune, for I see you consider
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Speaker 3: it as such.
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Speaker 1: Said he.
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Speaker 2: No, not quite a misfortune, said she, But certainly if
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Speaker 2: I had known doctor Nicholl's opinion, She hesitated.
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Speaker 3: You see the advantage of always consulting.
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Speaker 1: Me, he continued gravely.
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Speaker 3: Here is Cynthia engaged, not engaged?
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Speaker 2: I told you before he would not allow it to
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Speaker 2: be considered engagement on her part.
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Speaker 3: Well, entangled in a love affair with a lad of
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Speaker 3: three and twenty, with nothing beyond his fellowship and the
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Speaker 3: chance of inheriting an encumbered estate, no profession, even abroad
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Speaker 3: for two years. And I must go and tell his
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Speaker 3: father all about it tomorrow.
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Speaker 2: Oh, dear pray say that if he dislikes it, he
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Speaker 2: is only to express his opinion.
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Speaker 3: I don't think you can act without Cynthia in the affair.
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Speaker 3: And if I am not mistaken, Cynthia will have a
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Speaker 3: pretty stout will of her own on the subject.
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Speaker 2: Oh, I don't think she cares of him very much.
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Speaker 2: She is not one to be always falling in love,
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Speaker 2: and she does not take things very deeply to heart.
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Speaker 2: But of course one would not do anything abruptly. Two
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Speaker 2: years absence gives one plenty of time to turn oneself in.
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Speaker 3: But a little while ago we were threatened with consumption
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Speaker 3: and an early death if Cynthia's affections were thwarted.
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Speaker 2: Oh, you dear creature, how you remember all my silly words?
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Speaker 2: It might be, you know, poor dear mister Kirkpatrick was consumptive,
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Speaker 2: and Cynthia may have inherited it, and a great sorrow
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Speaker 2: might bring out the latent seeds. At times I am
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Speaker 2: so fearful, but I dare say it is not probable,
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Speaker 2: for I don't think she takes things very deeply to heart.
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Speaker 3: Then I am quite at liberty to give up the affair,
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Speaker 3: acting as Cynthia's proxy, if the Squire disapproves of it.
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Speaker 1: Poor missus Gibson was in a strait at this question. No,
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Speaker 1: she said, at last, we cannot give it up. I
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Speaker 1: am sure Cynthia would not, especially if she thought others
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Speaker 1: were acting for her, And he really is very much
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Speaker 1: in love. I wish you were in Osborne's place.
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Speaker 3: Shall I tell you what I should.
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Speaker 1: Do, said mister Gibson, in real earnest.
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Speaker 3: However it may have been brought about. Here are two
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Speaker 3: young people in love with each other. One is as
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Speaker 3: fine a young fellow as ever breathed, the other a
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Speaker 3: very pretty, lively, agreeable girl. The father of the young
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Speaker 3: man must be told, and it is most likely he
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Speaker 3: will bluster and oppose, for there is no doubt it
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Speaker 3: is an imprudent affair as far as money goes. But
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Speaker 3: let them be steady and patient, and a better lot
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Speaker 3: need await no young woman. I only wish it were
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Speaker 3: Molly's good fortune to meet such another.
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Speaker 2: I will try for her.
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Speaker 1: I will, indeed, said missus Gibson, relieved by his change
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Speaker 1: of tone.
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Speaker 3: No, don't, that's one thing I forbid. I'll have no
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Speaker 3: trying for Molly.
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Speaker 2: Well, don't be angry, dear. Do you know I was
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Speaker 2: quite afraid you were going to lose your temper At
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Speaker 2: one time.
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Speaker 3: It would have been of no use.
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Speaker 1: Said he gloomily, getting up as if to close the sitting.
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Speaker 1: His wife was only too glad to make her escape.
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Speaker 1: The conjugal interview had not been satisfactory to either. Mister
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Speaker 1: Gibson had been compelled to face and acknowledge the fact
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Speaker 1: that the wife he had chosen had a very different
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Speaker 1: standard of conduct from that which he had upheld all
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Speaker 1: his life and had hoped to have seen inculcated in
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Speaker 1: his daughter. He was more irritated than he chose to show,
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Speaker 1: for there was so much of self reproach in his
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Speaker 1: irritation that he kept it to himself, brooded over it,
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Speaker 1: and allowed a feeling of suspicious dissatisfaction with his wife
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Speaker 1: to grow up in his mind, which extended itself by
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Speaker 1: and by to the innocent Cynthia, and caused his manner
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Speaker 1: to both mother and daughter to assume a certain curt severity,
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Speaker 1: which took the latter, at any rate, with extreme surprise.
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Speaker 1: But on the present occasion, he followed his wife up
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Speaker 1: to the drawing room and gravely congratulated the astonished Cynthia.
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Speaker 1: Has Mamma told you, said, she shooting an indignant glance
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Speaker 1: at her mother.
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Speaker 4: It is hardly an engagement, and we all pledged ourselves
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Speaker 4: to keep it a secret. Mamma among the rest, But.
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Speaker 2: My dearest Cynthia, you could not expect. You could not
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Speaker 2: have wished me to keep a secret from my husband.
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Speaker 1: Pleaded missus Gibson.
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Speaker 4: No, perhaps not at any rate, Sir.
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Speaker 1: Said Cynthia, turning towards him with graceful frankness.
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Speaker 4: I am glad you should know it. You have always
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Speaker 4: been a most kind friend to me, and I dare
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Speaker 4: say I should have told you myself, but I did
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Speaker 4: not want it named. If you please, it must still
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Speaker 4: be a secret. In fact, it is hardly an engagement.
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Speaker 1: He She blushed and sparkled a little at the euphuism,
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Speaker 1: which implied that there was but one he present in
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Speaker 1: her thoughts at the moment.
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Speaker 4: Would not allow me to bind myself by any promise
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Speaker 4: until his return.
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Speaker 1: Mister Gibson looked gravely at her, irresponsive to her winning looks,
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Speaker 1: which at the moment reminded him too forcibly of her
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Speaker 1: mother's ways. Then he took her hand and said, seriously.
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Speaker 3: Enough, I hope you are worthy of him, Cynthia, for
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Speaker 3: you have indeed drawn a prize. I have never known
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Speaker 3: a truer or warmer heart than Roger's, and I have
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Speaker 3: known him boy and man.
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Speaker 1: Molly felt as if she could have thanked her father
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Speaker 1: aloud for this testimony to the value of him who
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Speaker 1: was gone away, But Cynthia pouted a little before she
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Speaker 1: smiled up in his face.
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Speaker 4: You are not complimentary, are you, mister Gibson, said she.
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Speaker 4: He thinks me worthy, I suppose, and if you have
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Speaker 4: so high an opinion of him, you ought to respect
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Speaker 4: his judgment of me.
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Speaker 1: If she hoped to provoke a compliment, she was disappointed,
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Speaker 1: for mister Gibson let go her hand in an absent
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Speaker 1: manner and sat down in an easy chair by the fire,
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Speaker 1: gazing at the wood embers as if hoping to read
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Speaker 1: the future in them. Molly saw Cynthia's eyes fill with
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Speaker 1: tears and followed her to the other end of the room,
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Speaker 1: where she had gone to seek some working materials. Dear Cynthia,
18:17
Speaker 1: was all she said, but she pressed her hand while
18:20
Speaker 1: trying to assist in the search.
18:22
Speaker 4: Oh, Molly, I am so fond of your father. What
18:25
Speaker 4: makes him speak so to me to night?
18:27
Speaker 1: I don't know, said Molly, perhaps as tired. They were
18:31
Speaker 1: recalled from further conversation by mister Gibson. He had roused
18:35
Speaker 1: himself from his reverie and was now addressing Cynthia.
18:38
Speaker 3: I hope you will not consider it a breach of confidence, Cynthia,
18:41
Speaker 3: But I must tell the Squire of of what has
18:44
Speaker 3: taken place to day between you and his son. I
18:47
Speaker 3: have bound myself by a promise to him. He was afraid.
18:52
Speaker 3: It's as well to tell you the truth.
18:53
Speaker 1: He was afraid an emphasis on this last word.
18:57
Speaker 3: Of something of this kind between his son's and one
19:00
Speaker 3: of you two girls. It was only the other day
19:02
Speaker 3: I assured him there was nothing of the kind on foot,
19:06
Speaker 3: and I told him then I would inform him at
19:09
Speaker 3: once if I saw any symptoms.
19:11
Speaker 1: Cynthia looked extremely annoyed.
19:13
Speaker 4: It was the only thing I stipulated for secrecy.
19:17
Speaker 1: But why, said mister Gibson.
19:19
Speaker 3: I can understand you are not wishing to have it
19:21
Speaker 3: made public under the present circumstances. But the nearest friends
19:26
Speaker 3: on both sides, surely you can have no objection to that.
19:30
Speaker 4: Yes, I have said, Cynthia, I would not have had
19:33
Speaker 4: anyone know if I could have helped it.
19:35
Speaker 3: I'm almost certain Roger will tell his father.
19:38
Speaker 1: No, he won't, said Cynthia.
19:40
Speaker 4: I made him promise, and I think he is one
19:42
Speaker 4: to respect a promise.
19:44
Speaker 1: With a glance at her mother, who feeling herself in
19:47
Speaker 1: disgrace with both husband and child, was keeping a judicious silence.
19:52
Speaker 3: Well, at any rate, the story would come with so
19:55
Speaker 3: much better a grace from him that I shall give
19:58
Speaker 3: him the chance. I won't go over to the hall
20:00
Speaker 3: till the end of the week. He may have written
20:03
Speaker 3: and told his father before then.
20:05
Speaker 1: Cynthia held her tongue for a little while. Then she said,
20:09
Speaker 1: with tearful pettishness.
20:11
Speaker 4: A man's promise is to override a woman's wish, then
20:13
Speaker 4: is it.
20:14
Speaker 3: I don't see any reason why it should not.
20:17
Speaker 4: Well, you trust in my reasons when I tell you.
20:19
Speaker 4: It will cause me a great deal of distress if
20:21
Speaker 4: it gets known.
20:22
Speaker 1: She said this in so pleading a voice that if
20:24
Speaker 1: mister Gibson had not been thoroughly displeased and annoyed by
20:27
Speaker 1: his previous conversation with her mother, he must have yielded
20:31
Speaker 1: to her. As it was, he said, coldly.
20:34
Speaker 3: Telling Roger's father is not making it public. I don't
20:37
Speaker 3: like this exaggerated desire for such secrecy, Cynthia. It seems
20:42
Speaker 3: to me as if something more than his apparent was
20:45
Speaker 3: concealed behind it.
20:46
Speaker 1: Come, Molly, said, Cynthia, suddenly, let us sing that.
20:49
Speaker 4: Duet had been teaching you. It's better than talking as
20:52
Speaker 4: we are doing.
20:53
Speaker 1: It was a little lively French toet. Molly sang it carelessly,
20:57
Speaker 1: with heaviness at her heart, but Cynthia sang it with
21:00
Speaker 1: spirit and apparent merriment. Only she broke down in hysterics
21:05
Speaker 1: at last and flew upstairs to her own room. Molly,
21:09
Speaker 1: heeding nothing else neither her father nor Missus Gibson's words,
21:13
Speaker 1: followed her and found the door of her bedroom locked,
21:16
Speaker 1: and for all reply to her entreaties to be allowed
21:18
Speaker 1: to come in, she heard Cynthia sobbing and crying. It
21:23
Speaker 1: was more than a week after the incidents just recorded
21:26
Speaker 1: before mister Gibson found himself at Liberty to call on
21:29
Speaker 1: the Squire, and he heartily hoped that long before then
21:33
Speaker 1: Roger's letter might have arrived from Paris, telling his father
21:36
Speaker 1: the whole story. But he saw at the first glance
21:40
Speaker 1: that the Squire had heard nothing unusual to disturb his equanimity.
21:44
Speaker 1: He was looking better than he had done for months past.
21:47
Speaker 1: The light of hope was in his eyes. His face
21:50
Speaker 1: seemed of a healthy ruddy color, gained partly by his
21:53
Speaker 1: resumption of outdoor employment in the superintendence of the works,
21:58
Speaker 1: and partly because the happiness he had had lately had
22:00
Speaker 1: through Roger's means, caused his blood to flow with regular vigor.
22:05
Speaker 1: He had felt Roger's going away, it is true. But
22:08
Speaker 1: whenever the sorrow of parting with him pressed too heavily
22:11
Speaker 1: upon him, he filled his pipe and smoked it out.
22:15
Speaker 1: Over a long, slow, deliberate reperusal of Lord Hollingford's letter,
22:19
Speaker 1: every word of which he knew by heart, but expressions
22:22
Speaker 1: in which he made a pretense to himself of doubting
22:25
Speaker 1: that he might have an excuse for looking at his
22:27
Speaker 1: son's praises. Once again, the first greetings over, mister Gibson
22:33
Speaker 1: plunged into his subject.
22:35
Speaker 3: Any news from Roger yet?
22:37
Speaker 1: Oh, yes, here's his letter, said the Squire, producing his
22:41
Speaker 1: black leather case in which Roger's missive had been placed
22:45
Speaker 1: along with the other very heterogeneous contents. Mister Gibson read it,
22:49
Speaker 1: hardly seeing the words, after he had, by one rapid glance,
22:52
Speaker 1: assured himself that there was no mention of Cynthia in it.
22:56
Speaker 3: M I see he doesn't name one very important event
22:59
Speaker 3: that has before him since.
23:00
Speaker 1: He left you, said mister Gibson, seizing on the first
23:04
Speaker 1: words that came.
23:05
Speaker 3: I believe I am committing a breach of confidence on
23:07
Speaker 3: one side, but I'm going to keep the promise I
23:10
Speaker 3: made the last time I was here. I find there
23:13
Speaker 3: is something something of the kind you apprehended you understand
23:18
Speaker 3: between him and my stepdaughter Cynthia Kirkpatrick. He called at
23:23
Speaker 3: our house to wish us good bye. While waiting for
23:26
Speaker 3: the London coach found her alone and spoke to her.
23:32
Speaker 3: They don't call it an engagement, but of course it
23:34
Speaker 3: is one.
23:36
Speaker 5: Give me back the.
23:37
Speaker 1: Letter, said the Squire in a constrained kind of voice.
23:41
Speaker 1: Then he read it again, as if he had not
23:43
Speaker 1: previously mastered its contents, and as if there might be
23:47
Speaker 1: some sentence or sentences he had overlooked. A go, he
23:52
Speaker 1: said at last, with a sigh.
23:54
Speaker 5: He tells me nothing about it. That may play a
23:58
Speaker 5: confidences with their fathers, but they keep a deal back.
24:02
Speaker 1: The Squire appeared more disappointed at not having heard of
24:06
Speaker 1: this straight from Roger than displeased at the fact itself,
24:09
Speaker 1: mister Gibson thought, but he let him take his time.
24:12
Speaker 5: He's not the eldest.
24:14
Speaker 1: Son, continued the squire, talking as it were to himself.
24:19
Speaker 5: But it's not the match I should have planned for. Him.
24:23
Speaker 5: How came you, sir.
24:25
Speaker 1: Said, he firing round on mister Gibson suddenly to say.
24:29
Speaker 5: When you were last here that there was nothing between
24:32
Speaker 5: my sons and neither of your girls. Why this must
24:36
Speaker 5: have been going on all the time.
24:38
Speaker 3: I'm afraid it was, but I was as ignorant about
24:41
Speaker 3: it as the babe unborn. I only heard of it
24:44
Speaker 3: on the evening of the day of Roger's departure.
24:47
Speaker 5: And that a week ago. Sir, what's kept you quiet
24:51
Speaker 5: ever since?
24:52
Speaker 3: I thought that Roger would tell you himself.
24:55
Speaker 5: That shows you have no sons. More than half of
24:59
Speaker 5: their life is unknown to their fathers. Why Osborne there?
25:04
Speaker 5: We live together? That's to say, we have our meals together,
25:09
Speaker 5: and we sleep under the same roof and get well. Well.
25:15
Speaker 5: Life is as God has made it. You say it's
25:18
Speaker 5: not an engagement yet, But I wonder what I'm doing
25:21
Speaker 5: hoping for my lad's disappointment in the folly he's set
25:25
Speaker 5: his heart on, and just when he's been helping me.
25:29
Speaker 5: Is it a folly or is it not? I ask you, Gibson,
25:33
Speaker 5: for you must know this girl. She hasn't much money.
25:38
Speaker 3: I suppose about thirty pounds a year at my pleasure
25:41
Speaker 3: during her mother's life.
25:43
Speaker 5: Eh, it's well, he's not Osborne. They'll have to wait.
25:49
Speaker 5: What family is she of? None of them in trade,
25:53
Speaker 5: I reckon from her being so poor.
25:57
Speaker 3: I believe her father was grandson of a certain surgeon,
26:00
Speaker 3: Harold Kirkpatrick. Her mother tells me it is an old baronetcy.
26:05
Speaker 3: I know nothing of such things.
26:07
Speaker 5: That's something. I do know something of such things, as
26:13
Speaker 5: you are pleased to call them. I like honorable blood.
26:18
Speaker 1: Mister Gibson could not help saying, but.
26:20
Speaker 3: I'm afraid that only one eighth of Cynthia's blood is honorable.
26:24
Speaker 3: I know nothing further of her relations, excepting the fact
26:28
Speaker 3: that her father was a curate professional.
26:32
Speaker 5: M that's a step above trade at any rate. How
26:36
Speaker 5: old is she?
26:37
Speaker 3: Eighteen or nineteen?
26:39
Speaker 5: Pretty?
26:40
Speaker 3: Yes? I think so, most people do, but it's all
26:43
Speaker 3: a matter of taste. Come, Squire, judge for yourself. Ride
26:47
Speaker 3: over and take lunch with us any day you like.
26:49
Speaker 3: I may not be in, but her mother will be there,
26:51
Speaker 3: and you can make acquaintance with your son's future wife.
26:55
Speaker 1: This was going too fast, however, presuming too much on
26:59
Speaker 1: the quietness with which the Squire had been questioning him.
27:03
Speaker 1: Mister Hamley drew back within his shell and spoke in
27:06
Speaker 1: a surly manner, as he replied.
27:09
Speaker 5: Roger's future wife, he'll be wiser by the time he
27:14
Speaker 5: comes home two years among the black folk will have
27:18
Speaker 5: put all sense in him.
27:20
Speaker 3: Possible, but not probable, I should.
27:22
Speaker 1: Say, replied mister Gibson.
27:25
Speaker 3: Black folk are not remarkable for the powers of reasoning.
27:28
Speaker 3: I believe so that they haven't much chance of altering
27:31
Speaker 3: his opinion by argument, even if they understood each other's language.
27:36
Speaker 3: And certainly, if he shares my taste, their peculiarity of
27:40
Speaker 3: complexion will only make him appreciate white skins the more.
27:44
Speaker 1: But you said it was no engagement, growled the squire.
27:48
Speaker 5: If he thinks better of it, you won't keep him
27:52
Speaker 5: to it, will you.
27:54
Speaker 3: If he wishes to break it off, I shall certainly
27:56
Speaker 3: advise Cynthia to be equally willing. That's all I can say,
28:02
Speaker 3: And I see no reason for discussing the affair further
28:04
Speaker 3: at present. I've told you how matters stand, because I
28:08
Speaker 3: promised you I would if I saw anything of this
28:11
Speaker 3: kind going on. But in the present condition of things,
28:14
Speaker 3: we can neither make nor mar We can only wait, and.
28:18
Speaker 1: He took up his hat to go, but the Squire
28:20
Speaker 1: was discontented.
28:22
Speaker 5: Oh don't go, Gibson. Don't take offense at what I've said,
28:27
Speaker 5: though I'm sure I don't know why you should. What's
28:32
Speaker 5: the girl like in herself?
28:34
Speaker 3: I don't know what you mean.
28:35
Speaker 1: Said mister Gibson, but he did only he was vexed
28:39
Speaker 1: and did not choose to understand.
28:41
Speaker 5: Is she well? Is she like your Molly? Sweet tempered
28:46
Speaker 5: and sensible, with their gloves always mended and kneat about
28:51
Speaker 5: the feet, ready to do anything one asks her, just
28:55
Speaker 5: as if doing it was the very thing she liked
28:57
Speaker 5: best in the world.
28:59
Speaker 1: Mister Gibson's face relaxed now, and he could understand all
29:02
Speaker 1: the Squire's broken sentences and unexplained meanings.
29:06
Speaker 3: She is much prettier than Molly to begin with, and
29:09
Speaker 3: has very winning ways. She's always well dressed and smart looking,
29:14
Speaker 3: and I know she hasn't much to spend on her
29:16
Speaker 3: clothes and always does what she's asked to do, and
29:20
Speaker 3: is ready enough with her pretty lively answers. I don't
29:25
Speaker 3: think I ever saw her out of temper, but then
29:27
Speaker 3: I'm not sure if she takes things keenly to heart.
29:30
Speaker 3: And a certain obtuseness of feeling goes a great way
29:34
Speaker 3: towards a character for good temper. I've observed altogether. I
29:38
Speaker 3: think Cynthia is one in one.
29:39
Speaker 1: Hundred square meditated a little.
29:42
Speaker 5: Your Molly is one in a thousand, to my mind.
29:47
Speaker 5: But then you see she comes up no family, it's all,
29:52
Speaker 5: and I don't suppose she'll have a chance of much money.
29:56
Speaker 1: This he said, as if he were thinking aloud, and
29:59
Speaker 1: without reference to me, mister Gibson. But it nettled the latter,
30:02
Speaker 1: and he replied somewhat impatiently.
30:05
Speaker 3: Well, but as there's no question of Molly in this business,
30:08
Speaker 3: I don't see the use of bringing her name in
30:11
Speaker 3: and considering either her family or her fortune.
30:14
Speaker 1: No, to be sure, not, said the Squire, rousing up.
30:19
Speaker 5: My wits had gone far afield, and I'll own I
30:23
Speaker 5: was only thinking what a pity it was she wouldn't
30:26
Speaker 5: do for osboy. But of course it's out of the question.
30:32
Speaker 5: Out of the.
30:33
Speaker 1: Question, yes, said mister Gibson.
30:36
Speaker 3: And if you'll excuse me, Squire, I really must go now,
30:39
Speaker 3: and then you'll be at liberty to send your wits
30:42
Speaker 3: afield uninterrupted.
30:44
Speaker 1: This time he was at the door. Before the squire
30:47
Speaker 1: called him back. He stood impatiently, hitting his top boots
30:50
Speaker 1: with his riding whip, waiting for the interminable last words.
30:54
Speaker 5: I say, Gibson, we're old friends, and you're a fool
30:59
Speaker 5: if you take anything say as an offense. Madam, your
31:03
Speaker 5: wife and I didn't hit it off the only time
31:06
Speaker 5: I ever saw her. I won't say she is silly,
31:10
Speaker 5: but I think one of us was silly, and it
31:13
Speaker 5: wasn't me. However, we'll pass that over. Suppose you bring
31:18
Speaker 5: her and this girl Cynthia, which is as autlandish a
31:22
Speaker 5: Christian name as i'd wish to hear, and little Molly
31:27
Speaker 5: out here to lunch some day. I'm more at ease
31:30
Speaker 5: in my own house, and I'm more sure to be
31:33
Speaker 5: civil too. We need say nothing about Roger, neither the
31:38
Speaker 5: last nor me, and you keep your wife's tongue quiet.
31:43
Speaker 5: If you can, it will only be like a compliment
31:46
Speaker 5: to you and your marriage. You know that no one
31:49
Speaker 5: must take it for anything more. Mind no allusion or
31:55
Speaker 5: mention of Roger and this piece of folly. I shall
32:00
Speaker 5: see the girl then, and I can judge her for myself,
32:04
Speaker 5: for as you say, that will be the best plan
32:08
Speaker 5: Osborne will be here too, and he's always in his
32:11
Speaker 5: element talking to women. I sometimes think he's half a
32:15
Speaker 5: woman himself. He spent so much money and is so unreasonable.
32:23
Speaker 1: The Squire was pleased with his own speech and his
32:26
Speaker 1: own thought, and smiled a little as he finished speaking.
32:30
Speaker 1: Mister Gibson was both pleased and amused, and he smiled too,
32:34
Speaker 1: Anxious as he was to be gone. The next Thursday
32:38
Speaker 1: was soon fixed upon as the day on which mister
32:40
Speaker 1: Gibson was to bring his womenkind out to the hall.
32:43
Speaker 1: He thought that on the whole the interview had gone
32:46
Speaker 1: off a good deal better than he had expected, and
32:49
Speaker 1: felt rather proud of the invitation of which he was
32:51
Speaker 1: the bearer. Therefore, Missus Gibson's manner of receiving it was
32:55
Speaker 1: an annoyance to him. She meanwhile, had been considering herself
32:59
Speaker 1: as an injured woman ever since the evening of the
33:02
Speaker 1: day of Roger's departure.
33:04
Speaker 2: What business had any one had to speak as if
33:06
Speaker 2: the chances of Osborne's life being prolonged were infinitely small,
33:09
Speaker 2: If in fact the matter was uncertain. She liked Osborne
33:13
Speaker 2: extremely much better than Roger, and would gladly have schemed
33:17
Speaker 2: to secure him for Cynthia, if she had not shrunk
33:19
Speaker 2: from the notion of her daughter's becoming a widow.
33:22
Speaker 1: For if missus Gibson had ever felt anything acutely, it
33:25
Speaker 1: was the death of mister Kirkpatrick. And amiably callous as
33:29
Speaker 1: she was in most things, she recoiled from exposing her
33:32
Speaker 1: daughter wilfully to the same kind of suffering which she
33:35
Speaker 1: herself had experienced.
33:37
Speaker 2: But if she had only known doctor Nicholl's opinion, she
33:39
Speaker 2: would never have favored Roger's suit. Never And then mister
33:43
Speaker 2: Gibson himself, why was he so cold and reserved in
33:46
Speaker 2: his treatment of her since that night of explanation? She
33:49
Speaker 2: had done nothing wrong, yet she was treated as though
33:52
Speaker 2: she were in disgrace, and everything about the house was flat.
33:55
Speaker 2: Just now she even missed the little excitement of Roger's visits,
33:59
Speaker 2: and then watch of his attentions to Cynthia. Cynthia too
34:03
Speaker 2: was silent enough. And as for Molly, she was absolutely
34:06
Speaker 2: dull and out of spirits, a state of mind so
34:09
Speaker 2: annoying to Missus Gibson just now that she ventured some
34:12
Speaker 2: of her discontent upon the poor girl from whom she
34:15
Speaker 2: feared neither complaint nor reparte.
34:19
Speaker 1: End of chapter thirty five,