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061 - Roger Hamley's Confession · Wives and Daughters

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Speaker 1: Chapter sixty of Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell. This
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Speaker 1: LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter sixty Roger
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Speaker 1: Hamley's confession. Roger had a great deal to think of
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Speaker 1: as he turned away from looking after the carriage as
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Speaker 1: long as it could be seen. The day before, he
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Speaker 1: had believed that Molly had come to view all the
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Speaker 1: symptoms of his growing love for her, symptoms which he
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Speaker 1: thought had been so patent as disgusting inconstancy to the
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Speaker 1: inconstant Cynthia. That she had felt that an attachment which
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Speaker 1: could be so soon transferred to another was not worth having,
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Speaker 1: and that she had desired to mark all this by
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Speaker 1: her changed treatment of him, and so to nip it
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Speaker 1: in the bud. But this morning her old sweet frank
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Speaker 1: manner had returned in their last interview. At any rate,
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Speaker 1: he puzzled himself hard to find out what could have
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Speaker 1: distressed her. At breakfast time. He even went so far
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Speaker 1: as to ask Robinson whether Miss Gibson had received any
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Speaker 1: letters that morning, and when he heard that she had
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Speaker 1: had one, he tried to believe that the letter was
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Speaker 1: in some way the cause of her sorrow. So far,
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Speaker 1: so good, they were friends again, after their unspoken difference.
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Speaker 1: But that was not enough for Roger.
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Speaker 2: He felt every day more and more certain that she
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Speaker 2: and she alone could make him happy. He had felt
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Speaker 2: this and had partly given up all hope while his
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Speaker 2: father had been urging upon him the very course he
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Speaker 2: most desired to take. No need for trying to love her,
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Speaker 2: he said to himself, that was already done, And yet
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Speaker 2: he was very jealous on her behalf. Was that love
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Speaker 2: worthy of her which had once been given to Cynthia?
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Speaker 2: Was not this affair too much a mocking mimicry of
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Speaker 2: the last? Again, just on the point of leaving England
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Speaker 2: for a considerable time, if he followed her now to
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Speaker 2: her own home in the very drawing room where he
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Speaker 2: had once offered to Cynthia, and.
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Speaker 1: Then, by a strong resolve he determined on this course
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Speaker 1: they were friends now, and he kissed the rose that
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Speaker 1: was her pledge of friendship. If he went to Africa,
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Speaker 1: he ran some deadly chances. He knew better what they
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Speaker 1: were now than he had done when he went before.
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Speaker 1: Until his return he would not even attempt to win
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Speaker 1: more of her love than he already had. But once
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Speaker 1: save home again, no weak fancies as to what might
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Speaker 1: or might not be her answer should prevent his running
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Speaker 1: all chances to gain the woman who was to him
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Speaker 1: the one who excelled all his was not the poor
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Speaker 1: vanity that thinks more of the possible mortification of a
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Speaker 1: refusal than of the precious jewel of a bride that
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Speaker 1: may be won somehow or another. Please God to send
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Speaker 1: him back safe. He would put his fate to the touch,
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Speaker 1: and till then he would be patient. He was no
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Speaker 1: longer a boy to rush at the coveted object. He
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Speaker 1: was a man capable of judging and abiding. Mollie sent
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Speaker 1: her father as soon as she could find him, to
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Speaker 1: the hall, and then sat down to the old life
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Speaker 1: in the home drawing room, where she missed Cynthia's bright
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Speaker 1: presence at every turn. Missus Gibson was in rather a
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Speaker 1: querulous mood, which fastened itself upon the injury of Cynthia's
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Speaker 1: letter being addressed to Molly and not to herself.
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Speaker 3: Considering all the trouble I had with her trousseau, I
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Speaker 3: think she might have written to me.
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Speaker 4: But she did. Her first letter was to.
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Speaker 1: You, Mamma, said Molly, her real thoughts still intent upon
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Speaker 1: the hall, upon the sick child upon Roger and his
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Speaker 1: begging for the flower.
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Speaker 3: Yes, just a first letter, three pages long, with an
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Speaker 3: account of her crossing you. She can write about fashions
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Speaker 3: and how the bonnets are worn in Paris, and all
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Speaker 3: sorts of interesting things. But poor mothers must never expect
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Speaker 3: confidential letters. I have found that out.
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Speaker 4: You may see my letter, Mamma, said Molly. There is
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Speaker 4: really nothing in it.
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Speaker 3: And to think of her writing and crossing to you
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Speaker 3: who don't value it. Well, my poor heart is yearning
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Speaker 3: after my lost child. Really, life is somewhat hard to
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Speaker 3: bear at times.
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Speaker 1: Then there were silence for a while.
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Speaker 3: Do tell me something about your visit, Molly. Is Roger
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Speaker 3: very heart broken? Does he talk much about Cynthia?
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Speaker 4: No, he does not mention her often hardly ever.
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Speaker 3: I think I never thought he had much feeling. If
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Speaker 3: he had had, he would not have let her go
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Speaker 3: so easily.
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Speaker 4: I don't see how he could help it. When he
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Speaker 4: came to see her after his return, she was already
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Speaker 4: engaged to mister Henderson. He had come down that very.
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Speaker 1: Day, said Molly, with perhaps more heat than the occasion required.
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Speaker 3: My poor head, said.
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Speaker 1: Missus Gibson, putting her hands up to her head.
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Speaker 3: One may see you've been stopping with people of robust health.
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Speaker 3: And excuse my saying it, Molly, of your friends of
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Speaker 3: unrefined habits. You've got to talk in so loud a voice.
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Speaker 3: But do remember my head, Molly, So Roger has quite
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Speaker 3: forgotten Cynthia, has he?
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Speaker 1: Oh?
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Speaker 3: What inconstant creatures men are? He will be falling in
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Speaker 3: love with some grandee next mark my words. They are
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Speaker 3: making a pet and a line of him. And he's
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Speaker 3: just the kind of weak young man to have his
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Speaker 3: head turned by it all, and to propose to some
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Speaker 3: fine lady of rank who would no more think of
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Speaker 3: marrying him than of marrying her footman.
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Speaker 4: I don't think it is likely, said Molly stoutly. Roger
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Speaker 4: is too sensible for anything of the kind.
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Speaker 3: That's just the fault I always found with him. Sensible
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Speaker 3: and cold hearted. Now that's a kind of character which
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Speaker 3: may be very valuable, but which revolts me. Give me
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Speaker 3: warmth of heart, even with a little of that extravagance
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Speaker 3: of feeling, which misleads the judgment and conducts into romance.
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Speaker 3: Poor mister Kirkpatrick, that was just his character. I used
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Speaker 3: to tell him that his love for me was quite romantic.
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Speaker 3: I think I have told you about his walking five
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Speaker 3: miles in the rain to get me a muffin once
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Speaker 3: when I was ill.
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Speaker 1: Yes, said Molly.
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Speaker 3: It was very kind of him, so imprudent too, Just
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Speaker 3: what one of your sensible, cold hearted, commonplace people would
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Speaker 3: never have thought of doing with his cough and all.
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Speaker 1: I hope he didn't suffer for it, replied Molly, anxious
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Speaker 1: at any cost to keep off the subject of the Hamleys,
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Speaker 1: upon which she and her stepmother always disagreed, and on
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Speaker 1: which she found it difficult to keep her temper.
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Speaker 3: Yes, indeed he did. I don't think he ever got
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Speaker 3: over the cold he caught that day. I wish you
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Speaker 3: had known him, Molly. I sometimes wonder what would have
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Speaker 3: happened if you had been my real daughter, and Cynthia,
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Speaker 3: dear Papa's, and mister Kirkpatrick and your own dear mother
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Speaker 3: had all lived. People talk a good deal about natural affinities.
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Speaker 3: It would have been a question for a philosopher.
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Speaker 1: She began to think on the impossibilities she had suggested.
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Speaker 4: I wonder how the poor little boy is.
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Speaker 1: Said Molly, after a pause, speaking out her thought.
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Speaker 3: Poor little child when one thinks how little his prolonged
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Speaker 3: existence is to be desired. One feels that his death
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Speaker 3: would be a boon.
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Speaker 4: Mamma, what do you mean, asked Molly, much shocked. Why
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Speaker 4: every one cares for his life as the most precious
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Speaker 4: thing you have never seen him? He is the bonniest,
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Speaker 4: sweetest little fellow that can be. What do you mean?
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Speaker 3: I should have thought that the Squire would have desired
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Speaker 3: a better born heir than the offspring of a servant,
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Speaker 3: with all his ideas about descent and blood and family.
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Speaker 3: And I should have thought that it was a little
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Speaker 3: mortifying to Roger, who must naturally have looked upon himself
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Speaker 3: as his brother's heir, to find a little interloping child,
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Speaker 3: half French half English stepping into his shoes.
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Speaker 4: You don't know how fon they are of him. The
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Speaker 4: Squire looks upon him as the apple of his eye.
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Speaker 3: Molly, Molly, pray, don't let me hear you using such
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Speaker 3: vulgar expressions. When shall I teach you true refinement, that
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Speaker 3: refinement which consists in never even thinking a vulgar commonplace thing.
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Speaker 3: Proverbs and idioms are never used by people of education.
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Speaker 3: Apple of his eye. I am really shocked.
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Speaker 4: Well, Mamma, I am very sorry. But after all, what
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Speaker 4: I wanted to say as strongly as I could was
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Speaker 4: that the Squire loves to the little boy as much
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Speaker 4: as his own child, and that Roger. Oh, what a
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Speaker 4: shame to think that Roger.
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Speaker 1: And she stopped suddenly short, as if she were choked.
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Speaker 3: I don't wonder at your indignation.
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Speaker 1: My dear, said missus Gibson.
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Speaker 3: It is just what I should have felt at your age.
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Speaker 3: But one learns the baseness of human nature with advancing years.
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Speaker 3: I was wrong, though, to undeceive you so early, but
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Speaker 3: depend upon it. The thought I alluded to has crossed
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Speaker 3: Roger Hamley's mind.
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Speaker 4: All sorts of thoughts cross one's mind. It depends upon
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Speaker 4: whether one gives some harbor and encouragement, said Molly.
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Speaker 3: My dear. If you must have the last word, don't
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Speaker 3: let it be a truism. But let us talk on
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Speaker 3: some more interesting subject. I asked Cynthia to buy me
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Speaker 3: a silk gown in Paris, and I said I would
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Speaker 3: send her word what color I fixed upon. I think
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Speaker 3: dark blue is the most becoming to my complexion. What
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Speaker 3: do you say?
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Speaker 1: Molly agreed, sooner than take the trouble of thinking about
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Speaker 1: the thing at all. She was far too full of
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Speaker 1: her silent review of all the traits in Roger's character
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Speaker 1: which had come lately under her notice, and that gave
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Speaker 1: the lie direct to her stepmother's supposition. Just then they
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Speaker 1: heard mister Gibson' step downstairs, but it was some time
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Speaker 1: before he made his entrance into the room where they
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Speaker 1: were sitting. How is little Roger, said Molly.
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Speaker 5: Eagerly, beginning with scarlet fever. I'm afraid it's well. You
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Speaker 5: left when you did, Molly, you've never had it. We
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Speaker 5: must stop up all intercourse with the hall for a time.
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Speaker 5: If there's one illness I dread, it is this.
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Speaker 4: But you go and come back to us.
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Speaker 5: Papa, Yes, but I always take plenty of precautions. However,
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Speaker 5: no need to talk about risks that lie in the
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Speaker 5: way of one's duty. It is unnecessary risks that we
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Speaker 5: must avoid.
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Speaker 4: Will you have it, badly asked Mollie.
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Speaker 5: I can't tell. I shall do my best for the
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Speaker 5: wee laddie.
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Speaker 1: Whenever mister Gibson's feelings were touched, he was apt to
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Speaker 1: recur to the language of his youth. Mollie knew now
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Speaker 1: that he was much interested in the case. For some
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Speaker 1: days there was imminent danger to the little boy. For
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Speaker 1: some weeks there was a more chronic form of illness
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Speaker 1: to contend with. But when the immediate danger was over
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Speaker 1: and the warm daily interest was passed, Molly began to
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Speaker 1: realize that, from the strict quarantine her father evidently thought
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Speaker 1: it necessary to establish between the two houses, she was
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Speaker 1: not likely to see Roger again before his departure for Africa. Oh,
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Speaker 1: if she had but made more of the uncared for
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Speaker 1: days that she had passed with him at the Hall
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Speaker 1: worse than uncared for days on which she had avoided him,
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Speaker 1: refused to converse freely with him, given him pain by
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Speaker 1: her change of manner, For she had read in his eyes,
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Speaker 1: heard in his voice that he had been perplexed and pained,
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Speaker 1: And now her imagination dwelt on and exaggerated the expression
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Speaker 1: of his tones and looks. One evening, after dinner, her
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Speaker 1: father said.
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Speaker 5: As the country people say, I've done a stroke of
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Speaker 5: work to day. Roger Hamley and I have laid our
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Speaker 5: heads together, and we've made a plan by which missus
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Speaker 5: Osborne and her boy will leave the hall.
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Speaker 1: What did I say the other day, Molly, said, Missus Gibson,
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Speaker 1: interrupting and giving Molly a look of extreme intelligence.
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Speaker 5: And go into lodgings at Jennings Farm, not four hundred
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Speaker 5: yards from the Parkfield.
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Speaker 1: Gate, continued mister Gibson, the.
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Speaker 5: Squire and his daughter in law have got to be
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Speaker 5: much better friends over the little fellow's sick bed, and
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Speaker 5: I think he sees now how impossible it would be
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Speaker 5: for the mother to leave her child and go and
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Speaker 5: be happy in France, which has been the notion running
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Speaker 5: in his head all this time, to buy her off.
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Speaker 5: In fact, but that one night, when I was very
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Speaker 5: uncertain whether I could bring him through, they took to
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Speaker 5: crying together and condoling with each other, and it was
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Speaker 5: just like tearing down a curtain that had been between them.
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Speaker 5: They've been rather friends than otherwise, ever, said still Roger.
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Speaker 1: Molly's cheeks grew warm, and her eyes soft and bright.
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Speaker 1: It was such a pleasure to hear his name.
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Speaker 5: And I both agree that his mother knows much better
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Speaker 5: how to manage the boy than his grandfather does. I
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Speaker 5: suppose that was the one good thing she got from
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Speaker 5: that hard hearted mistress of hers. She certainly has been
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Speaker 5: well trained in the management of children, and it makes
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Speaker 5: her impatient and annoyed and not happy when she sees
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Speaker 5: the squire giving the child nuts and ale and all
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Speaker 5: sorts of silly indulgences and spoiling him in every possible way.
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Speaker 5: Yet she's a coward and doesn't speak out her mind.
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Speaker 5: Now by being in lodgings and having her own servants,
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Speaker 5: nice pretty rooms. They are too. We went to see them,
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Speaker 5: and missus Jennings promises to attend well to Missus Osborne
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Speaker 5: Hamley and is very much honored, and all that sort
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Speaker 5: of thing. Not ten minutes walk from the hall too,
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Speaker 5: so that she and the little chap may easily go
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Speaker 5: backwards and forwards as often as they like, and she
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Speaker 5: may keep the control over the child's discipline and diet.
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Speaker 5: In short, I think I've done a good day's work.
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Speaker 1: He continued, stretching himself a little, and then with a shake,
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Speaker 1: rousing himself and making ready to go out again to
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Speaker 1: see a patient who had sent for him in his absence.
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Speaker 5: A good day's work, he repeated.
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Speaker 1: To himself as he ran downstairs.
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Speaker 5: I don't know when I've been so happy, For.
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Speaker 1: He had not told Molly all that had passed between
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Speaker 1: him and Roger. Roger had begun a fresh subject of conversation,
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Speaker 1: just as mister Gibson was hastening away from the hall
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Speaker 1: after completing the new arrangement for Amy and her child.
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Speaker 2: You know that I said off next Tuesday, mister Gibson, don't.
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Speaker 1: You, said Roger a little abruptly.
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Speaker 5: To be sure, I hope you'll be as successful in
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Speaker 5: all your scientific objects as you were the last time,
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Speaker 5: and have no sorrows awaiting you when you come back.
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Speaker 2: Thank you, Yes, I hope.
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Speaker 5: So.
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Speaker 2: You don't think there's any danger of infection, now, do
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Speaker 2: you no?
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Speaker 5: If the disease were to spread through the household, I
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Speaker 5: think we should have had some signs of it before.
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Speaker 5: Now one is never sure, remember with scarlet fever.
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Speaker 1: Roger was silent for a minute or two.
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Speaker 2: Should you be afraid, he said, at length of seeing
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Speaker 2: me at your house?
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Speaker 5: Thank you, But I think I would rather decline the
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Speaker 5: pleasure of your society there at present. It's only three
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Speaker 5: weeks or a month since the child began. Besides, I
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Speaker 5: shall be over here again before you go. I'm always
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Speaker 5: on my guard against symptoms of dropsy. I have known
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Speaker 5: it supervene.
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Speaker 2: Then I shall not see Molly again.
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Speaker 1: Said Roger in a tone and with a look of
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Speaker 1: great disappointment. Mister Gibson turned his keen, observant eyes upon
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Speaker 1: the young man and looked at him in as penetrating manner,
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Speaker 1: as if he had been beginning with an unknown illness.
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Speaker 1: Then the doctor and the father compressed his lips and
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Speaker 1: gave vent to a long, intelligent whistle, said he. Roger's
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Speaker 1: bronzed cheeks took a deeper shade.
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Speaker 2: You will take a message for her from me, won't
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Speaker 2: you a message of farewell?
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Speaker 1: He pleaded?
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Speaker 5: Not I I'm not going to be a message carrier
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Speaker 5: between any young man and young woman. I'll tell my womenkind.
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Speaker 5: I forbade you to come near the house, and that
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Speaker 5: you're sorry to go away without bidding goodbye. That's all
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Speaker 5: I shall say.
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Speaker 2: But you do not disapprove I see you. Guess why, Oh,
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Speaker 2: mister Gibson, just speak to me one word of what
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Speaker 2: must be in your heart, though you are pretending not
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Speaker 2: to understand why I would give worlds to see Molly
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Speaker 2: again before I go, my dear boy.
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Speaker 1: Said mister Gibson, more affected than he liked to show,
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Speaker 1: and laying his hand on Roger's shoulder. Then he pulled
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Speaker 1: himself up and said, gravely.
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Speaker 5: Enough, mind, Molly is not Cynthia. If she were to
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Speaker 5: care for you, she is not one who could transfer
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Speaker 5: her love to the next comer.
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Speaker 2: You mean, not as readily as I have done, replied Roger.
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Speaker 2: I only wish you could know what a different feeling
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Speaker 2: this is to my boy's love for Cynthia.
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Speaker 5: I wasn't thinking of you when I spoke. But however,
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Speaker 5: as I might have remembered afterwards that you were not
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Speaker 5: a model of constancy, let us hear what you have
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Speaker 5: to say for yourself.
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Speaker 2: Not much. I did love Cynthia very much. Her manners
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Speaker 2: and her beauty bewitched me. But her letters, short, hurried letters,
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Speaker 2: sometimes showing that she really hadn't taken the trouble to
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Speaker 2: read mine through. I cannot tell you the pain they
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Speaker 2: gave me twelve months solitude in frequent danger of one's
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Speaker 2: life face to face with death. Sometimes age is a
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Speaker 2: man like many years experience. Still I long for the
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Speaker 2: time when I should see her sweet face again and
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Speaker 2: hear her speak. Then the letter at the cape, and
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Speaker 2: still I hoped. But you know how I found her
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Speaker 2: when I went to have the interview which I trusted
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Speaker 2: might end in the renewal of our relations. Engaged to
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Speaker 2: mister Henderson, I saw her walking with him in your garden,
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Speaker 2: coquetting with him about a flower, just as she used
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Speaker 2: to do with me. I can see the pitying look
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Speaker 2: in Molly's eyes as she watched me. I can see
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Speaker 2: it now, and I could beat myself for being such
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Speaker 2: a blind fool as to what must she think of me,
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Speaker 2: how she must despise me choosing the false dus side.
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Speaker 5: Come, Come, Cynthia isn't so bad as that. She's a
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Speaker 5: very fascinating, faulty creature.
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Speaker 2: I know, I know. I will never allow anyone to
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Speaker 2: say a word against her. If I called her the
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Speaker 2: false Duessa. It is because I wanted to express my
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Speaker 2: sense of the difference between her and Molly as strongly
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Speaker 2: as I could. You must allow for a lover's exaggeration. Besides,
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Speaker 2: all I wanted to say was do you think that Mollie,
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Speaker 2: after seeing and knowing that I had loved a person
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Speaker 2: so inferior to herself, could ever be brought to listen
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Speaker 2: to me?
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Speaker 5: I don't know. I can't tell, and even if I could,
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Speaker 5: I wouldn't. Only if it's any comfort to you, I
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Speaker 5: may say what my experience has taught me. Women are queer,
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Speaker 5: unreasoning creatures, and are just as likely as not to
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Speaker 5: love a man who has been throwing away his affection.
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Speaker 1: Thank you, sir, said Roger, interrupting him.
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Speaker 2: I see you mean to give me encouragement. And I
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Speaker 2: had resolved never to give Molly a hint of what
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Speaker 2: I felt till I returned, and then to try to
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Speaker 2: win her by every means in my power. I determined
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Speaker 2: not to repeat the former scene in the former place
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Speaker 2: in your drawing room. However I might be tempted, and perhaps,
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Speaker 2: after all, she avoided me when she was here last.
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Speaker 5: Now, Roger, I've listened to you long enough. If you've
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Speaker 5: nothing better to do with your time than to talk
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Speaker 5: about my daughter, I have. When you come back, it
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Speaker 5: will be time enough to inquire how far your father
20:37
Speaker 5: would approve of such an engagement.
20:40
Speaker 2: He himself urged it upon me the other day, But
20:44
Speaker 2: then I was in despair. I thought it was too late.
20:48
Speaker 5: And what means are you likely to have of maintaining
20:51
Speaker 5: a wife? I always thought that point was passed too
20:54
Speaker 5: lightly over when you formed your hurried engagement to Cynthia,
21:00
Speaker 5: not mercenary. Molly has some money independently of me, that she,
21:05
Speaker 5: by the way, knows nothing of, not much, and I
21:08
Speaker 5: can allow her something. But all these things must be
21:11
Speaker 5: left till your return.
21:13
Speaker 2: Then you sanction my attachment.
21:16
Speaker 5: I don't know what you mean by sanctioning it. I
21:18
Speaker 5: can't help it. I suppose losing one's daughter is a
21:22
Speaker 5: necessary evil.
21:23
Speaker 1: Still, seeing the disappointed expression on Roger's face.
21:29
Speaker 5: It is but fair to you to say I'd rather
21:31
Speaker 5: give my child, my only child, remember, to you than
21:36
Speaker 5: to any man in the world.
21:38
Speaker 1: Oh thank you, said Roger, shaking hands with mister Gibson,
21:42
Speaker 1: almost against the will of the latter.
21:45
Speaker 2: And may I see her just once before I go.
21:49
Speaker 5: Decidedly not there. I come in as doctor as well
21:53
Speaker 5: as father.
21:54
Speaker 2: No, but you will take a message at any rate.
21:58
Speaker 5: To my wife and to her conjointly. I will not
22:02
Speaker 5: separate them. I will not, in the slightest way, be
22:04
Speaker 5: a go between.
22:06
Speaker 1: Very well, said Roger.
22:09
Speaker 2: Tell them both as strongly as you can. How I
22:12
Speaker 2: regret your prohibition. I see I must submit, But if
22:18
Speaker 2: I don't come back, I'll haunt you for having been
22:21
Speaker 2: so cruel.
22:22
Speaker 5: Come, I like that, give me a wise man of
22:25
Speaker 5: science and love. No one beats him, and Folly.
22:28
Speaker 2: Goodbye, goodbye. You will see Molly this afternoon.
22:34
Speaker 5: To be sure, and you will see your father. But
22:37
Speaker 5: I don't heave such portentous sighs at the thought.
22:41
Speaker 1: Mister Gibson gave Roger's message to his wife and to
22:44
Speaker 1: Molly that evening at dinner. It was but what the
22:47
Speaker 1: latter had expected. After all, her father had said of
22:50
Speaker 1: the very great danger of infection. But now that her
22:54
Speaker 1: expectation came in the shape of a final decision, it
22:57
Speaker 1: took away her appetite. Submitted in silence. But her observant
23:02
Speaker 1: father noticed that after this speech of his she only
23:05
Speaker 1: played with the food on her plate, and concealed a
23:08
Speaker 1: good deal of it under her knife and fork.
23:11
Speaker 5: Lover versus father.
23:14
Speaker 1: Thought he half sadly lover wins, and he too became
23:19
Speaker 1: indifferent to all that remained of his dinner. Missus Gibson
23:23
Speaker 1: pattered on, and nobody listened.
23:26
Speaker 2: The day of.
23:27
Speaker 1: Roger's departure came, Molly tried hard to forget it. In
23:30
Speaker 1: working away at a cushion she was preparing as a
23:33
Speaker 1: present to Cynthia. People did worsted work in those days
23:38
Speaker 1: one two, three, one, two, three, four, five, six seven,
23:46
Speaker 1: all wrong. She was thinking of something else and had
23:50
Speaker 1: to unpick it. It was a rainy day too, and
23:53
Speaker 1: Missus Gibson, who had planned to go out and pay
23:56
Speaker 1: some calls, had to stay indoors. This made her restless
24:00
Speaker 1: and fidgety. She kept going backwards and forwards to different
24:04
Speaker 1: windows in the drawing room to look at the weather,
24:06
Speaker 1: as if she imagined that while it rained at one window,
24:10
Speaker 1: it might be fine weather at another.
24:13
Speaker 3: Molly, come here, who is that man wrapped up in
24:16
Speaker 3: a cloak there near the park wall under the beech tree.
24:19
Speaker 3: He has been there this half hour and more, never
24:21
Speaker 3: stirring and looking at this house all the time. I
24:24
Speaker 3: think it's very suspicious.
24:27
Speaker 1: Molly looked, and in an instant recognized Roger under all
24:31
Speaker 1: his wraps. Her first instinct was to draw back, the
24:35
Speaker 1: next to come forwards and say.
24:38
Speaker 4: Why, Mamma, it's Roger Hamley. Look now he's kissing his hand.
24:43
Speaker 4: He's wishing us good bye and the only way he can.
24:46
Speaker 1: And she responded to his sign, but she was not
24:49
Speaker 1: sure if he perceived her modest quiet movement for missus
24:52
Speaker 1: Gibson became immediately so demonstrative that Molly fancied that her eager,
24:57
Speaker 1: foolish pantomimic motions must absorb all his attention.
25:02
Speaker 3: I cool this, so attentive of him.
25:05
Speaker 1: Said Missus Gibson, in the midst of a volley of
25:08
Speaker 1: kisses of her hand.
25:10
Speaker 3: Really it is quite romantic. It reminds me of former days.
25:15
Speaker 3: But he will be too late. I must send him away.
25:17
Speaker 3: At is half past twelve.
25:19
Speaker 1: And she took out her watch and held it up,
25:22
Speaker 1: tapping it with her forefinger, and occupying the very center
25:25
Speaker 1: of the window, Molly could only peep here and there,
25:29
Speaker 1: dodging now up, now down, now on this side, now
25:33
Speaker 1: on that of the perpetually moving arms. She fancied she
25:37
Speaker 1: saw something of a corresponding movement on Roger's part. At length,
25:42
Speaker 1: he went away, slowly, slowly, and often looking back in
25:47
Speaker 1: spite of the tapped watch. Missus Gibson at last retreated,
25:52
Speaker 1: and Molly quietly moved into her place to see his
25:55
Speaker 1: figure once more, before the turn of the road hid
25:58
Speaker 1: it from her view. He too, who knew where the
26:00
Speaker 1: last glimpse of mister Gibson's house was to be obtained,
26:04
Speaker 1: and once more he turned, and his white handkerchief floated
26:08
Speaker 1: in the air. Molly waved hers high up with eager
26:12
Speaker 1: longing that it should be seen. And then he was gone,
26:16
Speaker 1: and Molly returned to her worsted work, happy, glowing, sad,
26:22
Speaker 1: content and thinking to herself how sweet is friendship? When
26:29
Speaker 1: she came to a sense of the present, Missus Gibson was.
26:32
Speaker 3: Saying, though Roger Hamley has never been a great favorite
26:35
Speaker 3: of mine, this little attention of his has reminded me
26:38
Speaker 3: very forcibly of a very charming young man, as soupiront
26:42
Speaker 3: as the French would call him, Lieutenant Harper. You must
26:45
Speaker 3: have heard me speak of him, Molly, I think I.
26:48
Speaker 1: Have said, Molly absently.
26:51
Speaker 3: Well, you remember how devoted he was to me when
26:53
Speaker 3: I was at Missus Duncomb's my first situation, and I
26:57
Speaker 3: only seventeen, And when the recruiting he was ordered to
27:00
Speaker 3: another town, poor mister Harper came and stood opposite the
27:04
Speaker 3: schoolroom window for nearly an hour. And I know it
27:06
Speaker 3: was his doing that the band played the girl I
27:09
Speaker 3: left behind me when they marched out the next day,
27:13
Speaker 3: Poor mister Harper, it is before I knew. Dear mister Kirkpatrick.
27:17
Speaker 3: Dear me, how often my poor heart has had to
27:20
Speaker 3: bleed in this life of mine. Not but what, dear
27:23
Speaker 3: Papa is a very worthy man and makes me very happy.
27:26
Speaker 3: He would spoil me, indeed, if I would let him. Still,
27:29
Speaker 3: he is not as rich as mister Henderson.
27:32
Speaker 1: That last sentence contained the germ of missus Gibson's present grievance.
27:38
Speaker 1: Having married Cynthia, as her mother put it, taking credit
27:41
Speaker 1: to herself as if she had had the principal part
27:44
Speaker 1: in the achievement, she now became a little envious of
27:47
Speaker 1: her daughter's good fortune in being the wife of a young, handsome, rich,
27:52
Speaker 1: and moderately fashionable man who lived in London. She naively
27:57
Speaker 1: expressed her feelings on this subject to her husband one
28:00
Speaker 1: day when she was really not feeling quite well, and
28:04
Speaker 1: when consequently her annoyances were much more present to her
28:07
Speaker 1: mind than her sources of happiness.
28:10
Speaker 3: It is such a pity, said she, that I was
28:14
Speaker 3: born when I was. I should so have liked to
28:17
Speaker 3: belong to this generation.
28:20
Speaker 5: That's sometimes my own feeling, said he. So many new
28:24
Speaker 5: views seemed to be opened in science that I should like,
28:27
Speaker 5: if it were possible to live till their reality was ascertained,
28:32
Speaker 5: and one saw what they led to. But I don't
28:35
Speaker 5: suppose that's your reason, my dear, for wishing to be
28:38
Speaker 5: twenty or thirty years younger.
28:40
Speaker 3: No, indeed, and I did not put it in that hard,
28:43
Speaker 3: unpleasant way. I only said I should like to belong
28:46
Speaker 3: to this generation. To tell the truth, I was thinking
28:49
Speaker 3: of Cynthia without vanity. I believe I was as pretty
28:52
Speaker 3: as she is when I was a girl. I mean
28:54
Speaker 3: I had not her dark eyelashes, but then my nose
28:57
Speaker 3: was straighter. And now look at the difference. I have
29:01
Speaker 3: to live in a little country town with three servants
29:03
Speaker 3: and no carriage, and she, with her inferior good looks,
29:07
Speaker 3: will live in Sussex place and keep a man and
29:09
Speaker 3: a broom. And I don't know what. But the fact is,
29:12
Speaker 3: in this generation there are so many more rich young
29:15
Speaker 3: men than there were when I was a girl.
29:17
Speaker 5: Oh so that's your reason, is it, my dear? If
29:20
Speaker 5: you had been young now, you might have married somebody
29:23
Speaker 5: as well off as Walter.
29:26
Speaker 1: Yes, said she.
29:29
Speaker 3: I think that was my idea. Of course, I should
29:32
Speaker 3: have liked him to be you. I always think if
29:34
Speaker 3: you had gone to the bar, you might have succeeded
29:36
Speaker 3: better and lived in London too. I don't think Cynthia
29:39
Speaker 3: cares much where she lives, yet you see it.
29:42
Speaker 5: Has come to her what has London.
29:45
Speaker 3: Oh, you dear facetious man. Now that's just the thing
29:49
Speaker 3: to have captivated a jury. I don't believe Walter will
29:52
Speaker 3: ever be so clever as you are. Yet he can
29:54
Speaker 3: take Cynthia to Paris and abroad and everywhere. I only
29:58
Speaker 3: hope all this indulgence were developed the faults in Cynthia's character.
30:02
Speaker 3: It's a week since we heard from her, and I
30:04
Speaker 3: did write so, particularly to ask her for the autumn
30:07
Speaker 3: fashions before I bought my new bonnet. But riches are
30:10
Speaker 3: a great snare.
30:12
Speaker 5: Be thankful you are spared temptation, my dear.
30:15
Speaker 3: No, I'm not. Everybody likes to be tempted, And after all,
30:19
Speaker 3: it's very easy to resist temptation if one wishes.
30:22
Speaker 5: I don't find it so easy, said her.
30:25
Speaker 4: Husband has medicine for you, Mamma.
30:29
Speaker 1: Said Molly, entering with a letter held up in her hand,
30:33
Speaker 1: A letter from Cynthia.
30:35
Speaker 3: Oh, you dear little messenger of good news. There was
30:39
Speaker 3: one of the heathen deities in Mangle's questions whose office
30:42
Speaker 3: it was to bring news. The letter is dated from Calais.
30:46
Speaker 3: They're coming home. She's brought me a shawl and a bonnet.
30:49
Speaker 3: The dear creature, always thinking of others before herself. Good
30:53
Speaker 3: fortune cannot spoil her. They've a fortnight left of their holiday.
30:57
Speaker 3: The house is not quite ready. They're coming here. Oh now,
31:01
Speaker 3: mister Gibson, we must have the new dinner service at Watts's.
31:03
Speaker 3: I've set my heart on so long.
31:05
Speaker 1: Home.
31:06
Speaker 3: Cynthia calls this house. I'm sure it has been a
31:09
Speaker 3: home to her, poor darling. I doubt if there is
31:12
Speaker 3: another man in the world who would have treated a
31:13
Speaker 3: step daughter like dear Papa. And Molly, you must have
31:16
Speaker 3: a new gown.
31:18
Speaker 5: Come, come, Remember I belong to the last generation.
31:22
Speaker 1: Said mister Gibson.
31:24
Speaker 4: And Cynthia will not notice what I wear.
31:27
Speaker 1: Said Molly, bright with pleasure at the thought of seeing
31:30
Speaker 1: her again.
31:32
Speaker 3: No, but Walter will. He is such a quick eye
31:35
Speaker 3: for dress, and I think I rival Papa. And if
31:37
Speaker 3: he's a good stepfather, I'm a good stepmother. And I
31:40
Speaker 3: could not bear to see my Molly shabby and not
31:42
Speaker 3: looking her best. I must have a new gown too.
31:46
Speaker 3: It won't do to look as if we had nothing
31:47
Speaker 3: but the dresses which he wore at the wedding.
31:50
Speaker 1: But Molly stood out against the new gown for herself,
31:53
Speaker 1: and urged that if Cynthia and Walter were to come
31:56
Speaker 1: to visit them often, they had better see them as
31:59
Speaker 1: they really were, in dress habits and appointments. When mister
32:03
Speaker 1: Gibson had left the room, Missus Gibson softly reproached Molly
32:08
Speaker 1: for her obstinacy.
32:10
Speaker 3: You might have allowed me to beg for a new
32:12
Speaker 3: gown for you, Molly, when you knew how much I
32:14
Speaker 3: had admired that figured silken browned the other day. And now,
32:18
Speaker 3: of course I can't be so selfish as to get
32:20
Speaker 3: it for myself and you to have nothing. You should
32:23
Speaker 3: learn to understand the wishes of other people. Still on
32:27
Speaker 3: the whole, You are a dear sweet girl, and I
32:30
Speaker 3: only wish well, I know what I wish. Only dear
32:34
Speaker 3: Papa does not like it to be talked about. And
32:37
Speaker 3: now cover me up close and let me go to
32:39
Speaker 3: sleep and dream about my dear Cynthia and my new Shawl.
32:45
Speaker 1: End of Chapter sixty