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040 - Secret Thoughts Ooze Out · Wives and Daughters

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  Speaker 1: Chapter thirty nine of Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell.
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  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter thirty nine,
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  Speaker 1: Secret Thoughts Ooze Out. Molly found Cynthia in the drawing room,
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  Speaker 1: standing in the bow window, looking out at the garden.
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  Speaker 1: She started as Molly came up to her. Ah, Molly said,
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  Speaker 1: she putting her arms out towards her.
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  Speaker 2: I am always so glad to have you with me.
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  Speaker 1: It was outbursts of affection such as these that always
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  Speaker 1: called Molly back. If she had been ever so unconsciously
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  Speaker 1: wavering in her allegiance to Cynthia. She had been wishing
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  Speaker 1: downstairs that Cynthia would be less reserved and not have
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  Speaker 1: so many secrets. But now it seemed almost like treason
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  Speaker 1: to have wanted her to be anything but what she was.
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  Speaker 1: Never had any one more than Cynthia. The power spoken
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  Speaker 1: of by Goldsmith when he wrote he threw off his
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  Speaker 1: friends like a huntsman his pack, for he knew when
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  Speaker 1: he liked he could wish them back. Do you know,
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  Speaker 1: I think you'll be glad to hear what I've got
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  Speaker 1: to tell you, said Molly, I think you would really
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  Speaker 1: like to go to London shouldn't you. Yes, but it's
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  Speaker 1: of no use liking, said Cynthia.
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  Speaker 2: Don't you begin about it, Molly, for the thing is
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  Speaker 2: settled and I can't tell you why. But I can't go.
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  Speaker 3: It is only the money, dear, And Papa has been
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  Speaker 3: so kind about it. He wants you to go. He
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  Speaker 3: thinks you ought to keep up relationships, and he's going
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  Speaker 3: to give you ten pounds.
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  Speaker 1: How kind he is, said Cynthia.
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  Speaker 2: But I ought not to take it. I wish I
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  Speaker 2: had known you years ago. I should have been different
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  Speaker 2: to what I am.
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  Speaker 3: Never mind that we like you as you are. We
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  Speaker 3: don't want you different. You'll really hurt Papa if you
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  Speaker 3: don't take it. Why do you hesitate? Do you think
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  Speaker 3: Roger won't like it?
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  Speaker 2: Roger No, I wasn't thinking about him. Why should he care.
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  Speaker 2: I shall be there and back again before he even
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  Speaker 2: hears about it.
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  Speaker 1: Then you will go, said Molly. Cynthia thought for a
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  Speaker 1: minute or two. Yes, I will, said she at length.
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  Speaker 2: I dare say it's not wise, but it will be pleasant,
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  Speaker 2: and I'll go. Where is mister Gibson? I want to
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  Speaker 2: thank him. Ah, how kind he is, Molly, You're a
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  Speaker 2: lucky girl.
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  Speaker 1: I said Molly, quite startled at being told this, for
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  Speaker 1: she had been feeling as if so many things were
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  Speaker 1: going wrong, almost as if they would never go right again.
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  Speaker 1: There he is, said Cynthia. I hear him in the hall,
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  Speaker 1: and darned she flew, and, laying her hands on mister
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  Speaker 1: Gibson's arm, she thanked him with such warm impulsiveness, and
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  Speaker 1: in so pretty, in caressing a manner, that something of
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  Speaker 1: his old feeling of personal liking for her returned, and
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  Speaker 1: he forgot for a time the causes of disapproval he
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  Speaker 1: had against her. There there, said he.
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  Speaker 2: That's enough, my dear, It's quite right you should keep
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  Speaker 2: up with your relations. There's nothing more to be said
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  Speaker 2: about it. I do think your father is a most
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  Speaker 2: charming man I.
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  Speaker 1: Know, said Cynthia on her return to Molly.
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  Speaker 2: And it's that which always makes me so afraid of
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  Speaker 2: losing his good opinion. And fret's when I think he
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  Speaker 2: is displeased with me. And now let us think all
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  Speaker 2: about this London visit. It will be delightful, won't it.
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  Speaker 2: I can make ten pounds go ever so far, and
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  Speaker 2: in some ways it will be such a comfort to
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  Speaker 2: get out of Hollingford.
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  Speaker 1: Will it, said Molly rather wistfully.
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  Speaker 2: Oh, yes, you know, I don't mean that it will
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  Speaker 2: be a comfort to leave you. That will be anything
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  Speaker 2: but a comfort. But after all, a country town is
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  Speaker 2: a country town, and London is London. You need not
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  Speaker 2: smile at my truisms. I've always had a sympathy with
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  Speaker 2: Monsieur de la Palisse, Monsieur de la palice e mout
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  Speaker 2: en parden servis encour d'ur auvan Saint maur Ellette en
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  Speaker 2: vill sang.
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  Speaker 1: She in so gay a manner that she puzzled Molly,
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  Speaker 1: as she often did, by her change of mood from
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  Speaker 1: the gloomy decision with which she had refused to accept
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  Speaker 1: the invitation only half an hour ago. She suddenly took
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  Speaker 1: Molly round the waist and began waltzing round the room
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  Speaker 1: with her to the imminent danger of the various little
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  Speaker 1: tables loaded with objets dar as Missus Gibson delighted to
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  Speaker 1: call them, with which the drawing room was crowded. She
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  Speaker 1: avoided them, however, with her usual skill, but they both
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  Speaker 1: stood still at last, Surprised at Missus Gibson's surprise, as
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  Speaker 1: she stood at the door looking at the world going
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  Speaker 1: on before her upon.
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  Speaker 4: My word, I only hope you are not going crazy,
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  Speaker 4: both of you. What's all this about?
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  Speaker 2: Pray only because I'm so glad I'm going to London.
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  Speaker 1: Mamma, said Cynthia demurely.
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  Speaker 4: I'm not sure if it's quite the thing for an
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  Speaker 4: engaged young lady to be so much beside herself at
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  Speaker 4: the prospect of gaiety. In my time, our great pleasure
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  Speaker 4: in our lover's absence was in thinking about them.
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  Speaker 2: I should have thought that would have given you pain,
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  Speaker 2: because you would have had to remember that they were away,
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  Speaker 2: which ought to have made you unhappy. Now, to tell
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  Speaker 2: you the truth, just at the moment, I had forgotten
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  Speaker 2: all about Roger. I hope it wasn't very wrong. Osband
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  Speaker 2: looks as if he did all my share as well
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  Speaker 2: as his own of the fretting after Roger. How ill
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  Speaker 2: he looked yesterday?
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  Speaker 1: Yes, said Molly.
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  Speaker 3: I I didn't know if any one besides me had
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  Speaker 3: noticed it. I was quite shocked, Ah, said missus Gibson.
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  Speaker 4: I'm afraid that young man won't live long, very much afraid.
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  Speaker 1: And she shook her head ominously.
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  Speaker 3: Oh what will happen if he dies?
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  Speaker 1: Exclaimed Molly. Suddenly sitting down and thinking of that strange,
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  Speaker 1: mysterious wife who never made her appearance, whose very existence
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  Speaker 1: was never spoken about, and Roger away too well.
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  Speaker 4: It would be very sad, of course, and we should
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  Speaker 4: all feel it very much. I've no doubt, for I've
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  Speaker 4: always been very fond of Osborne. In fact, before Roger became,
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  Speaker 4: as it were, my own flesh and blood, I liked
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  Speaker 4: Osborne better. But we must not forget the living, dear Molly.
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  Speaker 1: For Molly's eyes were filling with tears at the dismal
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  Speaker 1: thoughts presented to her.
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  Speaker 4: Our dear good Roger, would I am sure, do all
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  Speaker 4: in his power to fill Osborne's place in every way,
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  Speaker 4: and his marriage need not be so long delayed.
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  Speaker 2: Don't speak of that in the same breath as.
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  Speaker 1: Osband's life, Mamma, said Cynthia hastily.
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  Speaker 4: Why, my dear, it is a very natural thought for
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  Speaker 4: poor Roger's sake, you know, one wishes it not to
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  Speaker 4: be so very, very long an engagement. And I was
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  Speaker 4: only answering Molly's question. After all, one can't help following
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  Speaker 4: out one's thoughts. People must die, you know, young as
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  Speaker 4: well as old.
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  Speaker 2: If I ever suspected Roger, following out his thoughts.
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  Speaker 1: In a similar way, said Cynthia, I.
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  Speaker 2: Never speak to him again, as if.
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  Speaker 3: He would, said Molly warm in her turn. You know
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  Speaker 3: he never would, and you shouldn't suppose it of him. Cynthia, No,
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  Speaker 3: not even for a moment.
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  Speaker 4: I can't see the great harm of it all.
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  Speaker 1: For my part, said missus Gibson plaintively.
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  Speaker 4: A young man strikes us all as looking very ill,
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  Speaker 4: and I'm sure I'm sorry for it, But illness very
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  Speaker 4: often leads to death. Surely you agree with me there,
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  Speaker 4: and what's the harm of saying so? Then Molly asks
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  Speaker 4: what will happen if he dies? And I try to
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  Speaker 4: answer her question. I don't like talking or thinking of
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  Speaker 4: death any more than any one else, but I should
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  Speaker 4: think myself wanting in strength of mind. If I could
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  Speaker 4: not look forward to the consequences of death, I really
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  Speaker 4: think we're commanded to do so somewhere in the Bible
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  Speaker 4: or the Prayer book.
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  Speaker 2: Do you look forward to the consequences of my death?
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  Speaker 1: Mamma asked Cynthia.
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  Speaker 4: You really are the most unfeeling girl I ever met with.
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  Speaker 1: Said missus Gibson, really hurt.
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  Speaker 4: I wish I could give you a little of my
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  Speaker 4: own sensitiveness, for I have too much for my happiness.
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  Speaker 4: Don't let us speak of Osborne's looks again. Tend to one.
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  Speaker 4: It was only some temporary over fatigue, or some anxiety
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  Speaker 4: about Roger, or perhaps a little fit of indigestion. I
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  Speaker 4: was very foolish to attribute it to anything more serious,
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  Speaker 4: and dear Papa might be displeased if he knew I
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  Speaker 4: had done so. Medical men don't like other people to
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  Speaker 4: be making conjectures about health. They consider it as trenching
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  Speaker 4: on their her own particular province, and very proper, I'm sure.
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  Speaker 4: Now let us consider about your dress, Cynthia. I could
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  Speaker 4: not understand how you had spent your money and made
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  Speaker 4: so little show with it.
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  Speaker 2: Mamma, it may sound very cross, but I must tell
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  Speaker 2: Molly and you and everybody once for all that as
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  Speaker 2: I don't want and didn't ask for more than my allowance,
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  Speaker 2: I'm not going to answer any questions about what I
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  Speaker 2: do with it.
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  Speaker 1: She did not say this with any want of respect,
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  Speaker 1: but she said it with quiet determination, which subdued her
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  Speaker 1: mother for the time, though often afterwards, when Missus Gibson
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  Speaker 1: and Molly were alone, the former would start the wonder
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  Speaker 1: as to what Cynthia could possibly have done with her money,
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  Speaker 1: and hunt each poor conjecture through woods and valleys of
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  Speaker 1: doubt till she was wearied out and the exciting sport
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  Speaker 1: was given up for the day. At present, however, she
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  Speaker 1: confined herself to the practical matter in hand, and the
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  Speaker 1: genius for millinery and dress inherent in both mother and
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  Speaker 1: daughter soon settled a great many knotty points of contrivance
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  Speaker 1: and taste, and then they all three set to work,
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  Speaker 1: to gar Old Clay's look, amazed as wheels. The new
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  Speaker 1: Cynthia's relations with the Squire had been very stationary ever
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  Speaker 1: since the visit she had paid to the Hall the
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  Speaker 1: previous autumn. He had received them all at that time
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  Speaker 1: with hospitable politeness, and he had been more charmed with
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  Speaker 1: Cynthia than he liked to acknowledge to himself when he
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  Speaker 1: thought the visit all over afterwards.
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  Speaker 5: She's a pretty lass, sure enough, thought he, and has
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  Speaker 5: pretty ways about her too, and likes to learn from
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  Speaker 5: older people, which is a good sign. But somehow I
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  Speaker 5: don't like Madam her mother, but she is still her mother,
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  Speaker 5: and the girls her daughter. Yet she spoke to her
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  Speaker 5: once or twice, as if I shouldn't liked our little
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  Speaker 5: Fanny to have spoken, if it had pleased God for
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  Speaker 5: her to have lived. No, it's not the right way,
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  Speaker 5: and it may be a bit all old fashioned, but
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  Speaker 5: I like the right way. And then again she took
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  Speaker 5: possession of me, as I may say, and little Molly
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  Speaker 5: had to run after us in the garden walks that
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  Speaker 5: are too narrow for three, just like a little four
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  Speaker 5: legged doggie. And the other was so full of listening
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  Speaker 5: to me, she never turned round for to speak a
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  Speaker 5: word to Molly. I don't mean to say. They're not
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  Speaker 5: fond of each other. And that's in Roger's sweetheart's favor.
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  Speaker 5: And it's very ungrateful in me to go and find
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  Speaker 5: fault with a lass who was so civil to me
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  Speaker 5: and had such a pretty way with her, of hanging
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  Speaker 5: on every word that fell from my lips. Well, a
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  Speaker 5: deal may come and go in two years, and the
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  Speaker 5: lad says nothing to me about it. I'll be as
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  Speaker 5: deep as him and take no more notice of the
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  Speaker 5: affair till he comes home and tells me himself.
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  Speaker 1: So although the Squire was always delighted to receive the
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  Speaker 1: little notes which Cynthia sent him every time she heard
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  Speaker 1: from Roger, and although this attention on her part was
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  Speaker 1: melting the heart he tried to harden, he controlled himself
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  Speaker 1: into writing her the briefest acknowledgments. His words were strong
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  Speaker 1: in meaning but formal in expression. She herself did not
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  Speaker 1: think much about them, being satisfied to do the kind
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  Speaker 1: actions that called them forth, but her mother criticized them
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  Speaker 1: and pondered them. She thought she had hit on the
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  Speaker 1: truth when she decided in her own mind that it
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  Speaker 1: was a very old fashioned style, and that he and
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  Speaker 1: his house and his furniture all wanted some of the
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  Speaker 1: brightening up and polishing which they were so sure to receive.
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  Speaker 1: When she never quite liked to finish the sentence definitely,
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  Speaker 1: although she kept repeating to herself.
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  Speaker 4: That there was no harm in it.
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  Speaker 1: To return to the squire, occupied as he now was,
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  Speaker 1: he recovered his former health and something of his former cheerfulness.
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  Speaker 1: If Osborne had met him half way, it is probable
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  Speaker 1: that the old bond between father and son might have
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  Speaker 1: been renewed. But Osborne either really was an invalid or
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  Speaker 1: had sunk into invalid habits and made no effort to rally.
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  Speaker 1: If his father urged him to go out nay once
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  Speaker 1: or twice, he gulped down his pride and asked Osborne
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  Speaker 1: to accompany him. Osborne would go to the window and
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  Speaker 1: find out some floor or speck in the wind or weather,
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  Speaker 1: and make that an excuse for stopping indoors over his books.
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  Speaker 1: He would saunter out on the sunny side of the house,
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  Speaker 1: in a manner that the Squire considered both indolent and unmanly. Yet,
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  Speaker 1: if there was a prospect of his leaving home, which
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  Speaker 1: he did pretty often, about this time, he was seized
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  Speaker 1: with a hectic energy. The clouds in the sky, the
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  Speaker 1: eastern wind, the dampness of the air were nothing to
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  Speaker 1: him then, And as the Squire did not know the
• 12:52
  Speaker 1: real secret cause of this anxiety to be gone, he
• 12:55
  Speaker 1: took it into his head that it arose from Osborne's
• 12:58
  Speaker 1: dislike to Hamley and to the monotony of his father's society.
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  Speaker 1: It was a mistake, thought the Squire.
• 13:07
  Speaker 5: I see it now. I was never greater to making
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  Speaker 5: friends myself. I always thought those Oxford and Cambridge men
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  Speaker 5: turned up their noses at me for a country booby,
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  Speaker 5: and I'd get the start and have none of them.
• 13:23
  Speaker 5: But when the boys went to Rugby and Cambridge, I
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  Speaker 5: should have let them have had their own friends about em,
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  Speaker 5: even though they might have looked down on me. It
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  Speaker 5: was the worst they could have done to me. And
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  Speaker 5: now what few friends I had have fallen off from
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  Speaker 5: me by death or somehow. And it is but dreary
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  Speaker 5: work for a young man, I granted, But he might
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  Speaker 5: try not to show it so plain to me as
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  Speaker 5: he does. I'm getting case hardened. But it does cut
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  Speaker 5: me to the quick sometimes it does. And he's so
• 14:01
  Speaker 5: fond of his dad as he was once. If I
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  Speaker 5: can but get the land trained, I'll make him an
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  Speaker 5: allowance and let him go to London or where he likes.
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  Speaker 5: Maybe he'll do better this time, or maybe he'll go
• 14:15
  Speaker 5: to the dogs altogether. But perhaps it will make him
• 14:18
  Speaker 5: think a bit kindly of the old father at home.
• 14:23
  Speaker 5: I should like him to do that. I should.
• 14:26
  Speaker 1: It is possible that Osborne might have been induced to
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  Speaker 1: tell his father of his marriage during their long solitary intercourse,
• 14:32
  Speaker 1: if the Squire, in an unlucky moment, had not given
• 14:36
  Speaker 1: him his confidence about Roger's engagement with Cynthia. It was
• 14:40
  Speaker 1: on one wet Sunday afternoon, when the father and son
• 14:43
  Speaker 1: were sitting together in the large, empty drawing room. Osborne
• 14:47
  Speaker 1: had not been to church in the morning. The Squire had,
• 14:50
  Speaker 1: and he was now trying hard to read one of
• 14:52
  Speaker 1: Blair's sermons. They had dined early, as they always did
• 14:56
  Speaker 1: on Sundays, and either that or the sermon, or the
• 15:00
  Speaker 1: hopeless wetness of the day made the afternoon seem interminably long.
• 15:04
  Speaker 1: To the Squire. He had certain unwritten rules for the
• 15:08
  Speaker 1: regulation of his conduct on Sundays.
• 15:10
  Speaker 5: Cold meat, sermon reading, no smoking till after evening prayers,
• 15:17
  Speaker 5: as little thought as possible as to the state of
• 15:20
  Speaker 5: the land and the condition of the crops, and as
• 15:22
  Speaker 5: much respectable sitting indoors for his best clothes as was
• 15:26
  Speaker 5: consistent with going to church twice a day and saying
• 15:30
  Speaker 5: the responses louder than the clerk. To day, it had
• 15:34
  Speaker 5: rained so unceasingly that he had remitted the afternoon church.
• 15:39
  Speaker 5: But oh, even with the luxury of a nap, how
• 15:43
  Speaker 5: long it seemed before he saw the whole servants stretching
• 15:46
  Speaker 5: homewards along the field path a covey of umbrellas.
• 15:51
  Speaker 1: He had been standing at the window for the last
• 15:53
  Speaker 1: half hour, his hands in his pockets and his mouth
• 15:56
  Speaker 1: often contracting itself into the traditional sin of a whistle,
• 16:00
  Speaker 1: but as often checked into sudden gravity, ending nine times
• 16:03
  Speaker 1: out of ten in a yawn. He looked askance at Osborne,
• 16:08
  Speaker 1: who was sitting near the fire, absorbed in a book.
• 16:10
  Speaker 1: The poor squire was something like the little boy in
• 16:13
  Speaker 1: the Child's Story, who asks all sorts of birds and
• 16:16
  Speaker 1: beasts to come and play with him, and in every
• 16:19
  Speaker 1: case receives the sober answer that they are too busy
• 16:22
  Speaker 1: to have leisure for trivial amusements. The father wanted the
• 16:26
  Speaker 1: son to put down his book and talk to him.
• 16:29
  Speaker 5: It was so wet, so dull, and a little conversation
• 16:34
  Speaker 5: went so while away the time.
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  Speaker 1: But Osborne, with his back to the window where his
• 16:39
  Speaker 1: father was standing, saw nothing of all this and went
• 16:42
  Speaker 1: on reading. He had assented to his father's remark that
• 16:46
  Speaker 1: it was a very wet afternoon, but had not carried
• 16:49
  Speaker 1: on the subject into all the varieties of truisms of
• 16:52
  Speaker 1: which it was susceptible. Something more rousing must be started,
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: and this the squire felt. The recollection of the affair
• 16:59
  Speaker 1: between Roger and Cynthia came into his head, and without
• 17:03
  Speaker 1: giving it a moment's consideration, he began.
• 17:06
  Speaker 5: Osborne, do you know anything about this?
• 17:09
  Speaker 1: This attachment of Roger's quite successful? Osborne laid down his
• 17:14
  Speaker 1: book in a moment and turned round to his father.
• 17:18
  Speaker 6: Roger an attachment. No, I never heard of it. I
• 17:22
  Speaker 6: can hardly believe it. That is to say, I suppose.
• 17:26
  Speaker 1: It is too And then he stopped, for he thought
• 17:30
  Speaker 1: he had no right to betray his own conjecture that
• 17:33
  Speaker 1: the object was Cynthia Kirkpatrick.
• 17:35
  Speaker 5: Yes he is, though can you guess who? To nobody
• 17:41
  Speaker 5: that I particularly like? Not a connection to my mind. Yet,
• 17:46
  Speaker 5: she's a very pretty girl. And I suppose I was
• 17:49
  Speaker 5: to blame in the first.
• 17:51
  Speaker 6: Instant, is it?
• 17:54
  Speaker 5: It's no use beating about the bush I've gone so far.
• 17:58
  Speaker 5: I may as well tell you all. It's miss Kirkpatrick
• 18:02
  Speaker 5: Gibson's stepdaughter. But it's not an engagement, mind you.
• 18:07
  Speaker 6: I'm very glad. I hope she likes Roger back again.
• 18:12
  Speaker 5: Like it's only too good a connection for her not
• 18:16
  Speaker 5: to like it. If Roger is of the same mind
• 18:19
  Speaker 5: when he comes home, I'll be bound shall only be
• 18:22
  Speaker 5: too happy, I.
• 18:24
  Speaker 1: Wonder Roger never told me, said Osborne a little hurt
• 18:28
  Speaker 1: now he began to consider himself.
• 18:30
  Speaker 5: He never told me either, said the squire. It was
• 18:34
  Speaker 5: Gibson who came here and made a clean breast of it,
• 18:38
  Speaker 5: like a man of honor. I'd been saying to him.
• 18:42
  Speaker 5: I couldn't have either of you, two lads ticking up
• 18:45
  Speaker 5: with his letters. I alone. It was you I was
• 18:49
  Speaker 5: afraid of. It's bad enough with Roger, and maybe we'll
• 18:53
  Speaker 5: come to nothing at all. But if it had been you,
• 18:57
  Speaker 5: I'd have broken with Gibson and every mother son of
• 19:00
  Speaker 5: em sooner than have let it go on. And so
• 19:05
  Speaker 5: I told Gibson, I.
• 19:07
  Speaker 6: Beg your pardon for interrupting you, But once for all,
• 19:10
  Speaker 6: I claim the right of choosing my wife for myself,
• 19:13
  Speaker 6: subject to no man's interference.
• 19:15
  Speaker 1: Said Osborne hotly.
• 19:17
  Speaker 5: Then you'll keep your wife with no man's interference. That's
• 19:22
  Speaker 5: all for ne'er a penny will you get from me,
• 19:25
  Speaker 5: my lad, unless you marry to please me a little
• 19:29
  Speaker 5: as well as yourself a great deal. That's all I
• 19:33
  Speaker 5: ask of you. I'm not particular as to beauty, or
• 19:37
  Speaker 5: as to cleverness and piano playing and that sort of thing.
• 19:43
  Speaker 5: If Rogia marries this girl, we shall have enough of
• 19:45
  Speaker 5: that in the family. I shouldn't much mind her being
• 19:49
  Speaker 5: a bit older than you, but she must be well born,
• 19:53
  Speaker 5: and the more money she brings, the better for the
• 19:55
  Speaker 5: old place.
• 19:57
  Speaker 6: I say again, Father, I choose my wife for myself,
• 20:00
  Speaker 6: and I don't admit any man's right of dictation.
• 20:03
  Speaker 1: Well, well, said the Squire, getting a little angry in
• 20:08
  Speaker 1: his turn.
• 20:09
  Speaker 5: If I'm not to be father in this matter, thou
• 20:12
  Speaker 5: shalt be sun. Go against me in what I've set
• 20:15
  Speaker 5: my heart on, and you'll find if there's the devil
• 20:18
  Speaker 5: to pay, that's all. But don't let us get angry.
• 20:22
  Speaker 5: It's Sunday afternoon, for one thing, and it's a sin.
• 20:27
  Speaker 5: And besides that, I've not finished my story.
• 20:31
  Speaker 1: For Osborne had taken up his book again, and under
• 20:34
  Speaker 1: pretense of reading, was fuming to himself. He hardly put
• 20:37
  Speaker 1: it away, even at his father's request.
• 20:40
  Speaker 5: Als I was saying, Gibson said when we first spoke
• 20:44
  Speaker 5: about it, that there was nothing on foot between any
• 20:48
  Speaker 5: of you for and that if there was, he would
• 20:51
  Speaker 5: let me know. So by and by he comes and
• 20:56
  Speaker 5: tells me of this, of what I.
• 21:00
  Speaker 6: Don't understand how fart has gone.
• 21:02
  Speaker 1: There was a tone in Osborne's voice. The Squire did
• 21:05
  Speaker 1: not quite like, and he began answering rather angrily of this.
• 21:10
  Speaker 5: To be sure of what I'm telling you, of Roger
• 21:13
  Speaker 5: going and making love to this girl that day he
• 21:16
  Speaker 5: left after he had gone away from the ear and
• 21:20
  Speaker 5: was waiting for the Umpire in Hollingford. When would think
• 21:25
  Speaker 5: you quite stupid at times? Osborne?
• 21:29
  Speaker 6: I can only say that these details are quite new
• 21:31
  Speaker 6: to me. You never mentioned them before, I assure.
• 21:34
  Speaker 5: You well, never mind whether I did or not. I'm
• 21:39
  Speaker 5: sure I said Roger was attached to miss Kirkpatrick and
• 21:43
  Speaker 5: be hanged to her, and you might have understood all
• 21:46
  Speaker 5: the rest as a matter of.
• 21:48
  Speaker 1: Course, possibly, said Osborne politely.
• 21:52
  Speaker 6: May I ask if miss Kirkpatrick, who appears to me
• 21:55
  Speaker 6: to be a very nice girl, responds to Roger's affection
• 21:59
  Speaker 6: fast enough?
• 22:00
  Speaker 1: Fall be bound, said the Squire sulkily.
• 22:03
  Speaker 5: A family of Hamley isn't to be had every day. Now.
• 22:09
  Speaker 5: I'll tell you what, Osborne. You're the only marriageable one
• 22:14
  Speaker 5: left in the market, and I want to hoist the
• 22:18
  Speaker 5: old family up again. Don't go against me in this.
• 22:23
  Speaker 5: It really will break my heart if you do. Father.
• 22:27
  Speaker 1: Don't talk, so said Osborne.
• 22:30
  Speaker 6: I'll do anything I can to oblige you, except.
• 22:33
  Speaker 5: Except the only thing I've set my heart on. Your
• 22:37
  Speaker 5: doing well.
• 22:38
  Speaker 6: Well, let it alone for the present. There's no question
• 22:41
  Speaker 6: of my marrying just at this moment. I'm out of health,
• 22:43
  Speaker 6: and I'm not up to going into society, meeting young
• 22:46
  Speaker 6: ladies and all that sort of thing. Even if I
• 22:48
  Speaker 6: had an opening in fitting society.
• 22:51
  Speaker 5: You should have an opening fast enough. There'll be more
• 22:54
  Speaker 5: money coming in in a year or two, please God.
• 22:59
  Speaker 5: And as for your health, why what's to make you
• 23:03
  Speaker 5: well if you cower over the fire all day and
• 23:07
  Speaker 5: shudder away from a good, honest tankard as if it
• 23:10
  Speaker 5: were poison.
• 23:11
  Speaker 1: So it is to me, said Osborne, languidly, playing with
• 23:15
  Speaker 1: his book, as if he wanted to end the conversation
• 23:17
  Speaker 1: and take it up again. The squire saw the movements
• 23:20
  Speaker 1: and understood them well, said he.
• 23:24
  Speaker 5: I'll go and have a talk with Will about poor
• 23:27
  Speaker 5: old black Bess. It's Sunday work enough, asking after a
• 23:32
  Speaker 5: dumb animal's sakes and pains.
• 23:35
  Speaker 1: But after his father had left the room, Osborne did
• 23:39
  Speaker 1: not take up his book again. He laid it down
• 23:42
  Speaker 1: on the table by him, leant back in his chair
• 23:44
  Speaker 1: and covered his eyes with his hand. He was in
• 23:47
  Speaker 1: a state of health which made him despondent about many things,
• 23:51
  Speaker 1: though least of all about what was most in danger.
• 23:54
  Speaker 1: The long concealment of his marriage from his father made
• 23:57
  Speaker 1: the disclosure of it far far more difficult than it
• 24:00
  Speaker 1: would have been at first.
• 24:02
  Speaker 6: Unsupported by Roger, how could he explain it all to
• 24:04
  Speaker 6: one so passionate as the Squire. How to tell of
• 24:07
  Speaker 6: the temptation, the stolen marriage, the consequent happiness, and alas
• 24:11
  Speaker 6: the consequent suffering.
• 24:13
  Speaker 1: For Osborne had suffered and did suffer greatly in the
• 24:16
  Speaker 1: untoward circumstances in which he had placed himself, he saw
• 24:20
  Speaker 1: no way out of it all, excepting by the one
• 24:23
  Speaker 1: strong stroke of which he felt himself incapable. So with
• 24:27
  Speaker 1: a heavy heart he addressed himself to his book again.
• 24:30
  Speaker 1: Everything seemed to come in his way, and he was
• 24:33
  Speaker 1: not strong enough in character to overcome obstacles. The only
• 24:36
  Speaker 1: overt step he took in consequence of what he had
• 24:39
  Speaker 1: heard from his father was to ride over to Hollingford
• 24:42
  Speaker 1: the first fine day after he had received the news
• 24:45
  Speaker 1: and go to see Cynthia and the Gibsons. He had
• 24:48
  Speaker 1: not been there for a long time. Bad weather and
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: languor combined had prevented him. He found them full of
• 24:54
  Speaker 1: preparations and discussions about Cynthia's visit to London, and she
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: herself not at all in the sentimental mis proper to
• 25:00
  Speaker 1: respond to his delicate intimations of how glad he was
• 25:03
  Speaker 1: in his brother's joy. Indeed, it was so long after
• 25:07
  Speaker 1: the time that Cynthia scarcely perceived that to him the
• 25:10
  Speaker 1: intelligence was recent, and that the first bloom of his
• 25:13
  Speaker 1: emotions had not yet passed away. With her head a
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: little on one side, she was contemplating the effect of
• 25:19
  Speaker 1: a knot of ribbons when he began, in a low
• 25:21
  Speaker 1: whisper and leaning forward towards her as he spoke.
• 25:24
  Speaker 6: Cynthia, I may call you Cynthia, now, mayn't I? I'm
• 25:27
  Speaker 6: so glad of this news. I've only just heard of it,
• 25:30
  Speaker 6: but I'm so glad.
• 25:31
  Speaker 2: What news do you mean?
• 25:33
  Speaker 1: She had her suspicions, but she was annoyed to think
• 25:35
  Speaker 1: that from one person her secret was passing to another
• 25:38
  Speaker 1: and another, till in fact it was becoming no secret
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: at all. Still, Cynthia could always conceal her annoyance when
• 25:46
  Speaker 1: she chose.
• 25:47
  Speaker 2: Why are you to begin calling me Cynthia?
• 25:49
  Speaker 1: Now, she went on, smiling.
• 25:51
  Speaker 2: The terrible word has slipped out from between your lips before.
• 25:54
  Speaker 2: Do you know?
• 25:55
  Speaker 1: This light way of taking his tender congratulation did not
• 25:58
  Speaker 1: quite please Osborne, who was in a sentimental mood, and
• 26:02
  Speaker 1: for a minute or so he remained silent. Then, having
• 26:05
  Speaker 1: finished making her bow of ribbon, she turned to him
• 26:08
  Speaker 1: and continued in a quick, low voice, anxious to take
• 26:11
  Speaker 1: advantage of a conversation between her mother and Molly.
• 26:14
  Speaker 2: I think I can guess why you mean that pretty
• 26:16
  Speaker 2: little speech just now. But you know you ought not
• 26:18
  Speaker 2: to have been told. And moreover, things are not quite
• 26:21
  Speaker 2: arrived at the solemnity of of well an engagement, he
• 26:26
  Speaker 2: would not have it. So now I shan't say any more,
• 26:29
  Speaker 2: and you must not pray. Remember you ought not to
• 26:32
  Speaker 2: have known. It is my own secret, and I particularly
• 26:35
  Speaker 2: wished it not to be spoken about. And I don't
• 26:38
  Speaker 2: like its being so talked about. Oh the leaking of
• 26:40
  Speaker 2: water through one small hole.
• 26:43
  Speaker 1: And then she plunged into the talk of the other two,
• 26:46
  Speaker 1: making the conversation. General. Osborne was rather discomfited at the
• 26:50
  Speaker 1: non success of his congratulations. He had pictured to himself
• 26:53
  Speaker 1: the unbosoming of a love sick girl, full of rapture
• 26:57
  Speaker 1: and glad of a sympathizing confidante. He little new Cynthia's nature.
• 27:02
  Speaker 1: The more she suspected that she was called upon for
• 27:04
  Speaker 1: a display of emotion, the less would she show. And
• 27:07
  Speaker 1: her emotions were generally under the control of her will.
• 27:11
  Speaker 1: He had made an effort to come and see her,
• 27:13
  Speaker 1: and now he leant back in his chair, weary and
• 27:16
  Speaker 1: a little dispirited.
• 27:18
  Speaker 4: You, poor dear young man, said.
• 27:20
  Speaker 1: Missus Gibson, coming up to him with her soft, soothing manner.
• 27:24
  Speaker 4: How tired you look. Do take some of that eau
• 27:27
  Speaker 4: de cologne and bathe your forehead. This spring weather overcomes
• 27:31
  Speaker 4: me too. Pri mavera, I think the Italians call it,
• 27:36
  Speaker 4: but it is very trying for delicate constitutions, as much
• 27:40
  Speaker 4: from its associations as from its variableness of temperature. It
• 27:44
  Speaker 4: makes me sigh perpetually. But then I am so sensitive.
• 27:49
  Speaker 4: Dear Lady Cumnor always used to say I was like
• 27:51
  Speaker 4: a thermometer. You've heard how ill she has.
• 27:54
  Speaker 1: Been, No, said Osborne, not very much caring either.
• 27:59
  Speaker 4: Oh, yes, she is better now, But the anxiety about
• 28:02
  Speaker 4: her has tried me so detained here by what are
• 28:06
  Speaker 4: of course my duties, but far away from all intelligence,
• 28:10
  Speaker 4: and not knowing what the next post might bring.
• 28:12
  Speaker 6: Where was she?
• 28:13
  Speaker 1: Then, said Osborne, becoming a little more sympathetic.
• 28:17
  Speaker 4: At spa such a distance off three days post? Can't
• 28:22
  Speaker 4: you conceive the trial? Living with her as I did
• 28:25
  Speaker 4: for years? Bound up in the family as I was?
• 28:28
  Speaker 3: But Lady Harriet said in her last letter that they
• 28:31
  Speaker 3: hoped she would be stronger than she had been for.
• 28:33
  Speaker 1: Years, said Molly innocently.
• 28:35
  Speaker 4: Yes, Lady Harriet. Of course, every one who knows Lady
• 28:39
  Speaker 4: Harriet knows that she is of too sanguine a temperament
• 28:42
  Speaker 4: for her statements to be perfectly relied on altogether. Strangers
• 28:46
  Speaker 4: are often deluded by Lady Harriet. She has an off
• 28:49
  Speaker 4: hand manner which takes them in, but she does not
• 28:52
  Speaker 4: mean half, she says.
• 28:54
  Speaker 1: We will hope she does in this instance, said Cynthia. Shortly.
• 28:57
  Speaker 2: They're in London now, and Lady Cumnor hasn't sat from
• 29:00
  Speaker 2: the journey.
• 29:01
  Speaker 1: They say so, said Missus Gibson, shaking her head and
• 29:05
  Speaker 1: laying an emphasis on the word say.
• 29:07
  Speaker 4: I am perhaps over anxious, but I wish I wish
• 29:12
  Speaker 4: I could see and judge for myself. It would be
• 29:15
  Speaker 4: the only way of calming my anxiety. I almost think
• 29:19
  Speaker 4: I shall go up with you Cynthia for a day
• 29:21
  Speaker 4: or two, just to see her with my own eyes.
• 29:24
  Speaker 4: I don't quite like your traveling alone either. We will
• 29:28
  Speaker 4: think about it, and you shall write to mister Kirkpatrick
• 29:31
  Speaker 4: and propose it. If we determine upon it, you can
• 29:34
  Speaker 4: tell him of my anxiety, and it will only be
• 29:36
  Speaker 4: sharing your bed for a couple of nights.
• 29:39
  Speaker 1: End of chapter thirty nine.