Latest / Wives and Daughters / 041 - Molly Gibson Breathes Freely

Transcript

041 - Molly Gibson Breathes Freely · Wives and Daughters

0:00
Speaker 1: Chapter forty of Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell. This
0:04
Speaker 1: LibriVox recording is in the public domain, Chapter forty. Molly
0:08
Speaker 1: Gibson breathes freely. That was the way in which Missus
0:13
Speaker 1: Gibson first broached her intention of accompanying Cynthia up to
0:16
Speaker 1: London for a few days visit. She had a trick
0:19
Speaker 1: of producing the first sketch of any new plan before
0:22
Speaker 1: an outsider to the family circle, so that the first
0:25
Speaker 1: emotions of others, if they disapproved of her projects, had
0:28
Speaker 1: to be repressed until the idea had become familiar to them.
0:31
Speaker 1: To Molly, it seemed too charming a proposal ever to
0:34
Speaker 1: come to pass. She had never allowed herself to recognize
0:37
Speaker 1: the restraint she was under in her stepmother's presence. But
0:40
Speaker 1: all at once she found it out when her heart
0:42
Speaker 1: danced at the idea of three whole days. For that
0:45
Speaker 1: it would be at the least of perfect freedom of
0:48
Speaker 1: intercourse with her father of old times, come back again,
0:51
Speaker 1: of meals without perpetual fidgetiness, after details of ceremony and
0:55
Speaker 1: correctness of attendance.
0:56
Speaker 2: We'll have reven chees for dinner and eat it on
0:59
Speaker 2: our niece. We'll make up for having had to eat
1:01
Speaker 2: sloppy puddings with a fork instead of a spoon all
1:04
Speaker 2: this time, by putting our knives in our mouths till
1:06
Speaker 2: we cut ourselves. Papa shall pour his tea into his
1:09
Speaker 2: saucer if he's in a hurry. And if I'm thirsty,
1:13
Speaker 2: I'll take the slop basin. And oh, if I could
1:16
Speaker 2: but get by burrow or steal any kind of an
1:19
Speaker 2: old horse. My gray skirt isn't new, but it will do.
1:23
Speaker 2: That would be too delightful. After all, I think I
1:27
Speaker 2: can be happy again. For months and months it has
1:30
Speaker 2: seemed as if I had got too old ever to
1:33
Speaker 2: feel pleasure, much less happiness again.
1:36
Speaker 1: So thought Molly. Yet she blushed as if with guilt
1:38
Speaker 1: when Cynthia, reading her thoughts, said to her.
1:40
Speaker 3: One day, Molly, you're very glad to get rid of us,
1:43
Speaker 3: are not you?
1:44
Speaker 2: Not of you, Cynthia, at least, I don't think I am,
1:48
Speaker 2: only if you but knew how I love Papa, and
1:51
Speaker 2: how I used to see a great deal more of
1:52
Speaker 2: him than I ever do now.
1:54
Speaker 3: Ah, I often think what interlopes we must seem and are.
1:58
Speaker 2: In fact, I don't feel as such you at any rate,
2:02
Speaker 2: I have been a new delight to me a sister,
2:05
Speaker 2: and I never knew how charming such a relationship could be.
2:09
Speaker 1: But Mamma, said Cynthia, half suspiciously, half sorrowfully. She's Papa's wife,
2:15
Speaker 1: said Molly quietly. I don't mean to say I'm not
2:17
Speaker 1: often very sorry to feel I'm no longer first with him.
2:20
Speaker 1: But it was the violent color flushed into her face,
2:23
Speaker 1: until even her eyes burnt, and she suddenly found herself
2:26
Speaker 1: on the point of crying. The weeping ash tree, the misery,
2:30
Speaker 1: the slow dropping comfort, and the comforter came all so
2:33
Speaker 1: vividly before her.
2:35
Speaker 2: It was Roger.
2:36
Speaker 1: She went on, looking up at Cynthia as she overcame
2:39
Speaker 1: her slight hesitation at mentioning his.
2:40
Speaker 2: Name, Roger, who told me how I ought to take
2:43
Speaker 2: Papa's marriage when I was first startled and grieved at
2:46
Speaker 2: the news. Oh, Cynthia, what a great thing it is
2:50
Speaker 2: to be loved by him.
2:51
Speaker 1: Cynthia blushed and looked fluttered and pleased.
2:54
Speaker 3: Yes, I suppose it is. At the same time, Molly,
2:57
Speaker 3: I'm afraid he'll expect me to be always as good
3:00
Speaker 3: as he fancies me now, and I shall have to
3:02
Speaker 3: walk on tiptoe all the rest of my life.
3:04
Speaker 2: But you are good, Cynthia put in Molly.
3:07
Speaker 3: No I'm not. You're just as much mistaken as he is.
3:11
Speaker 3: And some day I shall go down in your opinions
3:13
Speaker 3: with a run, just like the hall clock the other
3:15
Speaker 3: day when the spring broke.
3:17
Speaker 2: I think you'll love you just as much, said Molly.
3:20
Speaker 3: Could you? Would you be my friend? If if it
3:23
Speaker 3: turned out, ever that I had done very wrong things?
3:27
Speaker 3: Would you remember how very difficult it has sometimes been
3:29
Speaker 3: to me to act rightly?
3:31
Speaker 1: She took hold of Molly's hand as she spoke.
3:33
Speaker 3: WE won't speak of Mamma for your sake as much
3:36
Speaker 3: as mine or hers. But you must see she isn't
3:38
Speaker 3: one to help a girl with much good advice or
3:41
Speaker 3: good Oh Molly, you don't know how I was neglected,
3:45
Speaker 3: just at a time when I wanted friends. Most Mamma
3:48
Speaker 3: does not know it. It is not in her to
3:50
Speaker 3: know what I might have been if I had only
3:52
Speaker 3: fallen into wise, good hands. But I know it.
3:55
Speaker 1: And what's more, continued she suddenly ashamed of her unusual
3:59
Speaker 1: exhibition of I.
4:00
Speaker 3: Try not to care, which I dare say is really
4:03
Speaker 3: the worst of all. But I could worry myself to
4:05
Speaker 3: death if I once took to serious thinking.
4:08
Speaker 2: I wish I could help you, or even understand you,
4:11
Speaker 2: said Molly, after a moment or two of sad perplexity.
4:15
Speaker 2: You can help me, said Cynthia, changing her manner abruptly.
4:18
Speaker 3: I can trim bonnets and make head dresses, but somehow
4:21
Speaker 3: my hands can't fold up gowns and collars like your
4:24
Speaker 3: deaf little fingers. Please will you help me to pack.
4:27
Speaker 3: That's a real tangible piece of kindness, and not sentimental
4:30
Speaker 3: consolation for sentimental distresses, which are perhaps imaginary after all.
4:36
Speaker 1: In general, it is the people that are left behind
4:38
Speaker 1: stationary who give way to low spirits at any parting.
4:41
Speaker 1: The travelers, however bitterly, they may feel the separation, find
4:45
Speaker 1: something in the change of scene to soften regret at
4:47
Speaker 1: the very first hour of separation. But as Molly walked
4:50
Speaker 1: home with her father from seeing Missus Gibson and Cynthia
4:53
Speaker 1: off to London by the umpire coach, she almost danced
4:56
Speaker 1: along the street. Now, Papa said she, I'm going to
5:00
Speaker 1: have you all to myself for a whole week. You
5:03
Speaker 1: must be very obedient.
5:05
Speaker 4: Don't be tyrannical. Then, you're walking me out of breath,
5:07
Speaker 4: and we're cutting missus goodenough in our hurry.
5:10
Speaker 1: So they crossed over the street to speak to missus goodenough.
5:13
Speaker 4: We've just been seeing my wife and her daughter off
5:15
Speaker 4: to London. Missus Gibson has gone up for a week.
5:18
Speaker 5: Deary, deary, to London, and only for a week. Why
5:24
Speaker 5: I can remember it's being a three days journey. It'll
5:28
Speaker 5: be very lonesome for you, miss Molly, without your young companion.
5:32
Speaker 1: Yes, said Molly, suddenly feeling as if she ought to
5:36
Speaker 1: have taken this view of the case.
5:37
Speaker 2: I shall miss Cynthia very much.
5:39
Speaker 5: And you, mister Gibson, why it'll be like being a
5:42
Speaker 5: widower over again. You must come and drink tea with
5:46
Speaker 5: me some evening. We a strategy you up a bit
5:49
Speaker 5: amongst us? Shall it be Tuesday.
5:51
Speaker 1: In spite of the sharp pinch which Molly gave to
5:54
Speaker 1: his arm, mister Gibson accepted the invitation, much to the
5:57
Speaker 1: gratification of the old lady.
5:59
Speaker 2: Papa, how could you go and waste one of our evenings?
6:03
Speaker 2: We have but six in all, and now but five,
6:06
Speaker 2: and I had so reckoned on our doing all sorts
6:09
Speaker 2: of things together what sort of things. Oh, I don't
6:13
Speaker 2: know everything that is unrefined and ungentee.
6:17
Speaker 1: Added she slyly, looking up into her father's face. His
6:21
Speaker 1: eyes twinkled, but the rest of his face was perfectly grave.
6:24
Speaker 4: I'm not going to be corrupted with toil and labor.
6:27
Speaker 4: I've reached a very fair height of refinement. I won't
6:30
Speaker 4: be pulled down again.
6:32
Speaker 2: Yes you will, Papa. We'll have bread and cheese for
6:34
Speaker 2: lunch this very day, and you shall weigh your slippers
6:37
Speaker 2: in the drawing room every evening. You'll stay quietly at home.
6:40
Speaker 2: And oh, Papa, don't you think I could write Nora Crena.
6:44
Speaker 2: I've been looking out the old gray skirt, and I
6:47
Speaker 2: think I could make myself tidy.
6:49
Speaker 4: Where's the side saddle to come from?
6:51
Speaker 2: To be sure? The old one won't fit that great
6:53
Speaker 2: Irish mare. But I'm not particular, Papa. I think I
6:56
Speaker 2: could manage somehow.
6:58
Speaker 4: Thank you. But I'm not quite going to return into barbarism.
7:02
Speaker 4: It may be a depraved taste, but I should like
7:04
Speaker 4: to see my daughter properly mounted.
7:07
Speaker 2: Think of riding together down the lanes. Why the dog
7:10
Speaker 2: roses must be all out in flour and the Honeysuckle's
7:14
Speaker 2: and a hey, how I should like to see Merriman's
7:17
Speaker 2: farm again. Papa, do let me have one ride with you?
7:21
Speaker 2: Please do? I'm sure we can manage it somehow.
7:24
Speaker 1: And somehow it was managed. Somehow, all Molly's wishes came
7:29
Speaker 1: to pass. There was only one little drawback to this
7:32
Speaker 1: week of holiday and happy intercourse with her father. Everybody
7:35
Speaker 1: would ask them out to tea. They were quite like
7:38
Speaker 1: bride and bridegroom. For the fact was that the late
7:41
Speaker 1: dinners which Missus Gibson had introduced into her own house,
7:44
Speaker 1: were a great inconvenience in the calculations of the small
7:47
Speaker 1: tea drinkings at Hollingford.
7:48
Speaker 5: I'll ask people to tea at six ooh, dined at
7:52
Speaker 5: that hour?
7:53
Speaker 6: How when they refused cake and sandwiches at half past eight?
7:58
Speaker 6: How induce other people who were really hungry to commit
8:02
Speaker 6: a vulgarity before those calm and scornful eyes.
8:06
Speaker 1: So there had been a great lull of invitations for
8:08
Speaker 1: the Gibsons to Hollingford tea parties. Missus Gibson, whose object
8:12
Speaker 1: was to squeeze herself into county society, had taken this
8:15
Speaker 1: being left out of the smaller festivities with great equanimity.
8:19
Speaker 1: But Molly missed the kind homeliness of the parties to
8:21
Speaker 1: which she had gone from time to time as long
8:23
Speaker 1: as she could remember. And though as each three cornered
8:26
Speaker 1: note was brought in she grumbled a little over the
8:29
Speaker 1: loss of another charming evening with her father, she really
8:32
Speaker 1: was glad to go again in the old way among friends.
8:35
Speaker 1: Miss Browning and Miss Phoebe were especially compassionate towards her
8:38
Speaker 1: in her loneliness. If they had had their will, she
8:41
Speaker 1: would have dined there every day, and she had to
8:43
Speaker 1: call upon them very frequently in order to prevent their
8:46
Speaker 1: being hurt at her declining the dinners. Missus Gibson wrote
8:49
Speaker 1: twice during her week's absence to her husband. That piece
8:52
Speaker 1: of news was quite satisfactory to the miss Brownings, who
8:55
Speaker 1: had of late held themselves a great deal aloof from
8:57
Speaker 1: a house where they chose to suppose that their presence
8:59
Speaker 1: was not wanted. In their winter evenings, they had often
9:03
Speaker 1: talked over mister Gibson's household, and having little besides conjecture
9:07
Speaker 1: to go upon, they found the subject interminable, as they
9:10
Speaker 1: could vary the possibilities every day. One of their wonders
9:13
Speaker 1: was how mister and Missus Gibson really got on together.
9:16
Speaker 1: Another was whether Missus Gibson was extravagant or not. Now
9:20
Speaker 1: two letters during the week of her absence showed what
9:22
Speaker 1: was in those days considered a very proper amount of
9:25
Speaker 1: conjugal affection, yet not too much at eleven pence halfpenny postage,
9:29
Speaker 1: a third letter would have been extravagant. Sister looked to
9:32
Speaker 1: sister with an approving nod as Molly named the second letter,
9:36
Speaker 1: which arrived in Hollingford the very day before Missus Gibson
9:38
Speaker 1: was to return. They had settled between themselves that two
9:41
Speaker 1: letters would show the right amount of good feeling and
9:44
Speaker 1: proper understanding in the Gibson family. Moore would have been extravagant.
9:48
Speaker 1: Only one would have been a mere matter of duty.
9:51
Speaker 1: There had been rather a question between Miss Browning and
9:53
Speaker 1: Miss Phoebe as to which person the second letter, supposing
9:56
Speaker 1: it came, was to be addressed to. It would be
9:59
Speaker 1: very conjugal to write twice to mister Gibson, and yet
10:02
Speaker 1: it would be very pretty if Molly came in for
10:04
Speaker 1: her share.
10:06
Speaker 7: You've had another letter, you say, my dear, asked Miss Browning,
10:09
Speaker 7: I dare say, missus Gibson has written to you this time.
10:13
Speaker 2: It is a large sheet, and Cynthia has written on
10:15
Speaker 2: one half to me and all the rest is to Papa.
10:18
Speaker 7: A very nice arrangement, I'm sure. And what does Cynthia say?
10:22
Speaker 7: Is she enjoying herself?
10:24
Speaker 2: Oh? Yes, I think so. They've had a dinner party,
10:27
Speaker 2: and one night when Mamma was at Lady Cumnor's, Cynthia
10:30
Speaker 2: went to the plane with her cousins.
10:33
Speaker 7: Upon my word, and all in one week. I do
10:36
Speaker 7: call that dissipation. Why Thursday would be taken up with
10:41
Speaker 7: the journey, and Friday with resting, and Sunday is Sunday
10:45
Speaker 7: all over the world, and they must have written on Tuesday. Well,
10:48
Speaker 7: I hope Cynthia won't find Hollingford dull, that's all, when
10:51
Speaker 7: she comes back.
10:53
Speaker 1: I don't think it's likely, said Miss Phoebe, with a
10:56
Speaker 1: little simper and a knowing look which set oddly on
10:59
Speaker 1: her kind innocent fame.
11:00
Speaker 6: You see a great deal of mister Preston, don't you, Molly.
11:04
Speaker 1: Mister Preston, said Molly, flushing up with surprise.
11:08
Speaker 2: No, not much. He's been at Ashcombe all winter, you
11:11
Speaker 2: know he has, but just come back to settle here.
11:14
Speaker 2: What should make you think so?
11:16
Speaker 7: Oh? A little bird told.
11:18
Speaker 1: Us, said Miss Browning. Molly knew that little bird from
11:21
Speaker 1: her childhood and had always hated it and longed to
11:24
Speaker 1: wring its neck.
11:25
Speaker 2: Why could not people speak out and say that they
11:28
Speaker 2: did not mean to give up the name of their informant.
11:31
Speaker 1: But it was a very favorite form of fiction with
11:33
Speaker 1: the miss Brownings, and to Miss Phoebe it was the
11:35
Speaker 1: very acme of wit.
11:36
Speaker 7: The little bird was flying about one day heath Lane
11:40
Speaker 7: and it saw mister Preston and a young lady we
11:43
Speaker 7: won't say who, walking together in a very friendly manner.
11:47
Speaker 7: That is to say he was on horseback. But the
11:50
Speaker 7: path is raised above the road, just where there is
11:53
Speaker 7: the little wooden bridge over the brook.
11:55
Speaker 6: Perhaps Molly is in the secret, and we ought not
11:59
Speaker 6: to ask her about it.
12:00
Speaker 1: Said Miss Phoebe, seeing Molly's extreme discomfiture and annoyance.
12:04
Speaker 7: It can be no great secret.
12:07
Speaker 1: Said Miss Browning, dropping the little Bird formula and assuming
12:10
Speaker 1: an air of dignified reproval at Miss Phoebe's interruption.
12:13
Speaker 7: For Miss Hornblower, says mister Preston owns to being engaged
12:19
Speaker 7: at any rate.
12:19
Speaker 2: It isn't to Cynthia that I know.
12:21
Speaker 1: Positively, said Molly, with some vehemence, and pray for.
12:24
Speaker 2: To stop to any such reports. You don't know what
12:27
Speaker 2: mischief they may do. I do so hate that kind
12:30
Speaker 2: of chatter.
12:31
Speaker 1: It was not very respectful of Molly to speak in
12:33
Speaker 1: this way, to be sure, But she thought only of
12:36
Speaker 1: Roger and the distress any such reports might cause, should
12:39
Speaker 1: he ever hear of them. In the center of Africa.
12:41
Speaker 1: Made her color up scarlet with vexation.
12:44
Speaker 7: Highty, tighty, miss Molly, don't you remember that I'm old
12:48
Speaker 7: enough to be your mother, and that it is not
12:50
Speaker 7: pretty behavior to speak so to us, to me chatter
12:53
Speaker 7: to be sure, really, Molly, I beg your.
12:57
Speaker 2: Pardon, said Molly, only half penitent.
13:00
Speaker 6: I dare say you did not mean to speak so
13:02
Speaker 6: to sister.
13:03
Speaker 1: Said Miss Phoebe, trying to make peace. Molly did not
13:06
Speaker 1: answer all at once. She wanted to explain how much
13:09
Speaker 1: mischief might be done by such reports. But don't you see,
13:13
Speaker 1: she went on, still flushed by vexation, how.
13:16
Speaker 2: Bad it is to talk of such things in such
13:18
Speaker 2: a way. Supposing one of them cared for some one else,
13:21
Speaker 2: and that might happen. You know, mister Preston, for instance,
13:25
Speaker 2: may be engaged to some one else.
13:27
Speaker 7: Molly, I pity the woman. Indeed, I do. I have
13:31
Speaker 7: a very poor opinion of mister Preston.
13:33
Speaker 1: Said Miss Browning in a warning tone of voice, for
13:36
Speaker 1: a new idea had come into her head.
13:38
Speaker 2: Well, but the woman, A young lady would not like
13:41
Speaker 2: to hear such reports about mister Preston.
13:44
Speaker 7: Perhaps not, but for all that, take my word for it.
13:49
Speaker 7: He's a great flirt, and young ladies had better not
13:52
Speaker 7: have much to do with him.
13:54
Speaker 6: I dare say it was all accident to their meeting
13:57
Speaker 6: in heath Lane.
13:58
Speaker 2: Said Miss Phoebe. I know nothing about it, said Molly.
14:02
Speaker 2: And I dare say I have been impertinent. Only please
14:05
Speaker 2: don't talk about it any more. I have my reasons
14:08
Speaker 2: for asking you.
14:09
Speaker 1: She got up for by the striking of the church clock.
14:12
Speaker 1: She had just found out that it was later than
14:14
Speaker 1: she had thought, and she knew that her father would
14:16
Speaker 1: be at home by this time. She bent down and
14:18
Speaker 1: kissed Miss Browning's grave and passive face.
14:21
Speaker 6: How you are growing, Molly.
14:23
Speaker 1: Said Miss Phoebe, anxious to cover over her sister's displeasure.
14:27
Speaker 6: As tall and straight as a poplar tree, as the
14:29
Speaker 6: old song.
14:30
Speaker 7: Says, growing grace Molly as well as in good looks.
14:35
Speaker 1: Said Miss Browning, watching her out of the room. As
14:38
Speaker 1: soon as she was fairly gone, Miss Browning got up
14:40
Speaker 1: and shut the door quite securely, and then, sitting down
14:43
Speaker 1: near her sister, she said, in a low voice.
14:46
Speaker 7: Phoebe, it was Molly herself that was with mister Preston
14:49
Speaker 7: in heath Lane that day when missus Goodenough saw them together.
14:54
Speaker 1: Goodness gracious me, exclaimed Miss Phoebe, receiving it at once
14:58
Speaker 1: as gospel.
14:59
Speaker 6: How do you know.
15:00
Speaker 7: By putting two and two together, didn't you notice how
15:04
Speaker 7: red Molly went and then pale? And how she said
15:07
Speaker 7: she knew for a fact that mister Preston and Cynthia
15:10
Speaker 7: Kirkpatrick were not engaged.
15:12
Speaker 6: Perhaps not engaged, but missus Goodenough saw them loitering together
15:19
Speaker 6: all by their own two selves.
15:21
Speaker 7: Missus Goodenough only crossed Heath Lane at the Shire Oak
15:25
Speaker 7: as she was riding in her fight on.
15:27
Speaker 1: Said Miss Browning, sententiously.
15:29
Speaker 7: We all know what a coward she is in a carriage,
15:32
Speaker 7: so that most likely she had only half her wits
15:34
Speaker 7: about her, and her eyes are none of the best
15:37
Speaker 7: when she is standing steady on the ground. Molly and
15:40
Speaker 7: Cynthia have got their new plaid shawls just alike, and
15:43
Speaker 7: they trimmed their bonnets alike. And Molly is grown as
15:46
Speaker 7: tall as Cynthia since Christmas. I was always afraid she'd
15:50
Speaker 7: be short and stumpy, but she's now as tall and
15:52
Speaker 7: slender as any one need be. I'll answer for it.
15:55
Speaker 7: Missus goodenough saw Molly and took her for Cynthia.
16:00
Speaker 1: When Miss Browning answered for it, Miss Phoebe gave up doubting.
16:03
Speaker 1: She sat some time in silence, revolving her thoughts.
16:06
Speaker 6: Then she said it wouldn't be such a very bad
16:09
Speaker 6: match after all, sister.
16:12
Speaker 1: She spoke very meekly, awaiting her sister's sanction to her opinion.
16:16
Speaker 7: Phoebe, it would be a bad match for Mary Pearson's daughter.
16:19
Speaker 7: If I had known what I know now, we'd never
16:22
Speaker 7: have had him to tea last September.
16:25
Speaker 1: Why what do you know, asked Miss Phoebe.
16:28
Speaker 7: Miss Hornblower told me many things, some that I don't
16:31
Speaker 7: think you ought to hear, Phoebe. He was engaged to
16:34
Speaker 7: a very pretty Miss Gregson, at Henwick where he comes from,
16:38
Speaker 7: and her father made inquiries and heard so much that
16:41
Speaker 7: was bad about him, as he made his daughter break
16:44
Speaker 7: off the match, and she's dead since.
16:47
Speaker 1: How shocking, said Miss Phoebe, duly impressed.
16:51
Speaker 7: Besides, he plays billiards, andy bets at races, and some
16:55
Speaker 7: people do say he keeps race horses.
16:58
Speaker 6: But isn't it strange that the Earl keeps him on
17:02
Speaker 6: as his agent?
17:04
Speaker 7: No, perhaps not. He's very clever about Landon, very sharp
17:08
Speaker 7: in all law affairs, and my Lord isn't bound to
17:11
Speaker 7: take notice if indeed he knows of the manner in
17:14
Speaker 7: which mister Preston talks when he has taken too much wine.
17:18
Speaker 6: Taken too much wine? Oh, sister, is he a drunkard?
17:24
Speaker 6: And we have had him to tea.
17:26
Speaker 7: I didn't say he was a drunkard, Phoebe.
17:29
Speaker 1: Said Miss Browning pittishly.
17:31
Speaker 7: A man may take too much wine occasionally without being
17:35
Speaker 7: a drunkard. Don't let me hear you using such coarse words, Phoebe.
17:40
Speaker 1: Miss Phoebe was silent for a time after this rebuke. Presently,
17:43
Speaker 1: she said.
17:44
Speaker 6: I do hope it wasn't Molly Gibson.
17:47
Speaker 7: You may hope as much as you like, but I'm
17:50
Speaker 7: pretty sure it was. However, we'd better say nothing about
17:54
Speaker 7: it to missus goodenough. She has got Cynthia into her head,
17:58
Speaker 7: and there let her rest time enough to set reports
18:01
Speaker 7: afloat about Molly when we know there's some truth in them.
18:05
Speaker 7: Mister Preston might do for Cynthia, who's been brought up
18:08
Speaker 7: in France, though she has such pretty manners, but it
18:11
Speaker 7: may have made her not particular. He must not and
18:14
Speaker 7: he shall not have Molly if I go into church
18:17
Speaker 7: and forbid the bands myself. But I'm afraid. I'm afraid
18:22
Speaker 7: there's something between her and him. We must keep on
18:25
Speaker 7: the look out, Phoebe. I'll be her guardian angel, in
18:28
Speaker 7: spite of herself.
18:31
Speaker 1: End of Chapter forty