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058 - Bridal Visits and Adieux · Wives and Daughters

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Speaker 1: Chapter fifty seven of Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell.
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Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, Chapter fifty seven,
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Speaker 1: Bridal Visits and Adieu. The whole town of Hollingford came
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Speaker 1: to congratulate and inquire into particulars. Some, indeed, Missus Goodenough,
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Speaker 1: at the head of this class of malcontents, thought that
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Speaker 1: they were defrauded of their right to a fine show
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Speaker 1: by Cynthia's being married in London. Even Lady Cumnor was
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Speaker 1: moved into action. She, who had hardly ever paid calls
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Speaker 1: out of her own sphere, who had only once been
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Speaker 1: to see Claire in her own house, she came to
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Speaker 1: congratulate after her fashion. Maria had only just time to
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Speaker 1: run up into the drawing room one morning.
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Speaker 2: And say, please, m'm the great carriage from the tailers
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Speaker 2: is coming up to the gate, and my lady, the
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Speaker 2: Countess is sitting inside.
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Speaker 1: It was but eleven o'clock, and Missus Gibson would have
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Speaker 1: been indignant at any commoner who had ventured to call
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Speaker 1: at such an untimely hour. But in the case of
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Speaker 1: the peerage, the rules of domestic morality were relaxed. The
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Speaker 1: family stood at arms as it were till Lady Cumnor
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Speaker 1: appeared in the drawing room, and then she had to
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Speaker 1: be settled in the best chair and the light adjusted
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Speaker 1: before anything like conversation began. She was the first to speak,
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Speaker 1: and Lady Harriet, who had begun a few words to Molly,
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Speaker 1: dropped into silence.
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Speaker 3: I have been taking Mary, Lady Cuxhaven, to the railway
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Speaker 3: station on this new line between Birmingham and London, and
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Speaker 3: I thought I would come on here and offer you
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Speaker 3: my congratulations, Clare, which is the young.
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Speaker 1: Lady putting up her glasses and looking at Cynthia and Mollie,
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Speaker 1: who were dressed pretty much alike.
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Speaker 3: I did not think it would be amiss to give
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Speaker 3: you a little advice, my dear.
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Speaker 1: Said she, when Cynthia had been properly pointed out to
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Speaker 1: her as bride elect.
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Speaker 3: I have heard a good deal about you, and I
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Speaker 3: am only too glad for your mother's sake. Your mother
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Speaker 3: is a very worthy woman and did her duty very
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Speaker 3: well while she was in our family. I am truly rejoiced.
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Speaker 3: I say to hear that you are going to make
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Speaker 3: so creditable a marriage. I hope it will efface your
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Speaker 3: former errors of conduct. Which we will hope were but
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Speaker 3: trivial in reality, and that you will live to be
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Speaker 3: a comfort to your mother, for whom both Lord Cumnor
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Speaker 3: and I entertain a very sincere regard. But you must
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Speaker 3: conduct yourself with discretion in whatever state of life it
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Speaker 3: pleases God to place you, whether married or single. You
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Speaker 3: must reverence your husband and conformed to his opinion in
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Speaker 3: all things, look up to him as your head, and
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Speaker 3: do nothing without consulting him.
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Speaker 1: It was as well that Lord Cumnor was not among
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Speaker 1: the audience, or he might have compared precept with practice.
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Speaker 3: Keep strict accounts, and remember your station in life. I
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Speaker 3: understand that mister.
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Speaker 1: Looking about for some help as to the names she
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Speaker 1: had forgotten.
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Speaker 3: And Henderson is in law. Although there is a general
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Speaker 3: prejudice against attorneys, I have known of two or three
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Speaker 3: who are very respectable men, and I am sure mister
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Speaker 3: Henderson is one. Or Your good mother and our old
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Speaker 3: friend Gibson would not have sanctioned the engagement.
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Speaker 1: He is a barrister put in Cynthia unable to restrain
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Speaker 1: herself any longer.
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Speaker 4: Barrister at law.
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Speaker 3: Ah, yes, attorney at law, barrister at law. I understand
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Speaker 3: without your speaking so loud, My dear, what was I
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Speaker 3: going to say before you interrupted me? When you have
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Speaker 3: been a little in society, you will find that it
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Speaker 3: is reckoned bad manners to interrupt. I had a great
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Speaker 3: deal more to say to you, and you have put
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Speaker 3: it all out of my head. There was something else
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Speaker 3: your father wanted me to ask. What was it, Harriet?
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Speaker 2: I suppose you mean about mister Hamley.
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Speaker 3: Oh. Yes, we are intending to have the house full
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Speaker 3: of Lord Hollingford's friends next month, and Lord Cumnor is
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Speaker 3: particularly anxious to secure mister Hamley.
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Speaker 1: The Squire, asked Missus Gibson, in some surprise. Lady Cumnor
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Speaker 1: bowed slightly as much as to say, if.
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Speaker 3: You did not interrupt me, I should explain the famous traveler,
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Speaker 3: the scientific mister Hamley. I mean, I imagine he is
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Speaker 3: son to the Squire. Lord Hollingford knows him well. But
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Speaker 3: when we asked him before he declined coming and designed
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Speaker 3: no reason.
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Speaker 5: Had Roger indeed been asked to the towers and declined.
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Speaker 1: Missus Gibson could not understand it. Lady Cumnor went on, Now.
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Speaker 3: This time we are particularly anxious to secure him, and
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Speaker 3: my son Lord Hollingford will not return to England until
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Speaker 3: the very week before the Duke of Athestone is coming
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Speaker 3: to us. I believe mister Gibson is very intimate with
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Speaker 3: mister Hamley. Do you think he could induce him to
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Speaker 3: favor us with his company?
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Speaker 1: And this from the proud Lady Cumnor and the object
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Speaker 1: of it, Roger Hamley, whom she had all but turned
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Speaker 1: out of her drawing room two years ago for calling
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Speaker 1: at an untimely hour, and whom Cynthia had turned out
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Speaker 1: of her heart. Missus Gibson was surprised and could only
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Speaker 1: murmur out that she was sure mister Gibson would do
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Speaker 1: all that her Ladyship wished.
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Speaker 3: Thank you. You know me well enough to be aware
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Speaker 3: that I am not the person, nor is the towers
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Speaker 3: the house to go about soliciting guests. But in this
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Speaker 3: instance I bend my head. High rank should always be
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Speaker 3: the first to honor those who have distinguished themselves by
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Speaker 3: art or science.
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Speaker 1: Besides, Mamma, said Lady Harriet.
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Speaker 2: Papa was saying that the Hamleys have been on their
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Speaker 2: land since before the conquest, while we only came into
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Speaker 2: the county a century ago, and there is a tale
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Speaker 2: that the first Cumnor began his fortune through selling tobacco
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Speaker 2: in King James's reign.
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Speaker 1: If Lady Cumnor did not exactly shift her trumpet and
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Speaker 1: take snuff there on the spot, she behaved in an
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Speaker 1: equivalent manner. She began a low toned but nevertheless authoritative
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Speaker 1: conversation with Claire about the details of the wedding, which
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Speaker 1: lasted until she thought it fit to go, when she
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Speaker 1: abruptly plucked Lady Harriet up and carried her off in
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Speaker 1: the very midst of a description she was giving to
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Speaker 1: Cynthia about the delights of Spa, which was to be
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Speaker 1: one of the resting places of the newly married couple
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Speaker 1: on their wedding tour. Nevertheless, she prepared a handsome present
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Speaker 1: for the bride, a.
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Speaker 3: Bible and a prayer book, bound in velvet with silver clasps,
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Speaker 3: and also a collection of household account books.
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Speaker 1: At the beginning of which Lady Cumnor wrote down with
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Speaker 1: her own hand.
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Speaker 3: The proper weekly alliance of bread, butter, eggs, meat and
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Speaker 3: groceries per head, with the London prices of the articles,
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Speaker 3: so that the most inexperienced housekeeper might ascertain whether her
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Speaker 3: expenditure exceeded her means.
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Speaker 1: As she expressed herself in the note, which she sent
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Speaker 1: with a handsome doll present.
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Speaker 3: If you are driving into Hollingford, Harriet, perhaps you will
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Speaker 3: take these books to Miss Kirkpatrick.
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Speaker 1: Said Lady Cumnor, after she had sealed her note with
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Speaker 1: all the straitness and correctness befitting a countess of her
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Speaker 1: immaculate character.
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Speaker 3: I understand they are all going up to London to
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Speaker 3: morrow for this wedding. In spite of what I said
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Speaker 3: to Claire of the duty of being married in one's
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Speaker 3: own parish church. She told me at the time that
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Speaker 3: she entirely agreed with me, but that her husband had
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Speaker 3: such a strong wish for a visit to London that
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Speaker 3: she did not know how she could oppose him consistently
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Speaker 3: with her wifely duty. I advised her to repeat to
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Speaker 3: him my reasons for thinking that they would be ill
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Speaker 3: advised to have the marriage in town. But I am
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Speaker 3: afraid she has been overruled. That was her one great
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Speaker 3: fault when she lived with us. She was always so
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Speaker 3: yielding and never knew how to say no.
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Speaker 1: Mamma, said Lady Harriet, with a little sly coaxing in
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Speaker 1: her tone.
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Speaker 2: Do you think you would have been so fond of
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Speaker 2: her if she had opposed you and said no when
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Speaker 2: you wished her to say yes?
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Speaker 3: To be sure, I should, my dear. I like everybody
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Speaker 3: to have an opinion of their own only when my
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Speaker 3: opinions are based on thought and experience, which few people
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Speaker 3: have had equal opportunities of acquiring. I think it is
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Speaker 3: but proper deference in others to allow themselves to be convinced.
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Speaker 3: In fact, I think it is only obstinacy which keeps
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Speaker 3: them from acknowledging that they are. I am not a despot,
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Speaker 3: I hope.
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Speaker 1: She asked, with some anxiety.
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Speaker 2: If you are, dear, Mamma, said.
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Speaker 1: Lady Harriet, kissing the stern uplifted face very fondly.
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Speaker 2: I like a despotism better than a republic, and I
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Speaker 2: must be very despotic over my ponies, for it's already
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Speaker 2: getting very late for my dry round by Asholt.
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Speaker 1: But when she arrived at the Gibsons, she was detained
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Speaker 1: so long there by the state of the family that
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Speaker 1: she had to give up her going to Asholt. Molly
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Speaker 1: was sitting in the drawing room, pale and trembling, and
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Speaker 1: keeping herself quiet only by a strong effort. She was
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Speaker 1: the only person there. When Lady Harriet entered, the room
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Speaker 1: was all in disorder, strewed with presents and paper and
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Speaker 1: pasteboard boxes and half displayed articles of finery.
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Speaker 2: You look like Marius sitting amidst the ruins of carthage.
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Speaker 2: My dear, what's the matter? Why have you got on
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Speaker 2: that woebegone face? This marriage isn't broken off, is it?
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Speaker 3: Though?
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Speaker 2: Nothing would surprise me where the beautiful Cynthia is concerned.
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Speaker 6: Oh no, that's all right, But I have caught a
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Speaker 6: fresh cold. And Papa says he thinks I had better
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Speaker 6: not go to the wedding, poor little one.
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Speaker 2: And it's the first visit to London too.
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Speaker 6: Yes, but what I'm most care for is the not
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Speaker 6: being with Cynthia to the last. And then Papa, she stopped,
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Speaker 6: for she could hardly go on without open crying, and
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Speaker 6: she did not want to do that. Then she cleared
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Speaker 6: her voice. Papa, she continued, has so looked forward to
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Speaker 6: this holiday and seeing and and going. Oh I can't
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Speaker 6: tell you where, but he's quite a list of people
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Speaker 6: and sights to be seen. And now he says he
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Speaker 6: should not be comfortable to leave me all alone for
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Speaker 6: more than three days, two for traveling and one for
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Speaker 6: the wedding.
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Speaker 1: Just then Missus Gibson came in ruffled too after her fashion,
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Speaker 1: though the presence of Lady Harriet was wonderfully smoothing.
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Speaker 5: My dear Lady Harriet, how kind of you?
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Speaker 1: Ah?
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Speaker 5: Yes, I see this poor unfortunate child has been telling
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Speaker 5: you of her ill luck just when everything was going
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Speaker 5: on so beautifully. I'm sure it was that open window
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Speaker 5: at your back. Molly. You know you would persist that
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Speaker 5: it could do you no harm, and now you see
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Speaker 5: the mischief. I'm sure I shan't be able to enjoy
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Speaker 5: myself and at my only child's wedding too, without you.
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Speaker 5: For I can't think of leaving you without Maria. I
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Speaker 5: would rather sacrifice anything myself than think of you uncared
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Speaker 5: for and dismal at home.
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Speaker 2: I am sure Molly is as sorry as anyone.
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Speaker 1: Said Lady Harriet.
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Speaker 5: No, I don't think she is.
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Speaker 1: Said Missus Gibson, with happy disregard of the chronology of events.
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Speaker 5: Or she would not have sat with her back to
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Speaker 5: an open window the day before yesterday when I told
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Speaker 5: her not. But it can't be helped now Papa too.
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Speaker 5: But it is my duty to make the best of
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Speaker 5: everything at look at the cheerful side of life. I
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Speaker 5: wish I could persuade her to.
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Speaker 1: Do the same, turning and addressing Lady Harriet.
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Speaker 5: But you see, it is a great mortification to a
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Speaker 5: girl of her age to lose her first visit to London.
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Speaker 1: It is not that began Molly, but Lady Harriet made
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Speaker 1: her a little sign to be silent while she herself spoke.
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Speaker 2: Now, Claire, you and I can manage it all, I think,
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Speaker 2: if you will, but help me in a plan I've
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Speaker 2: got in my head. Mister Gibson shall stay as long
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Speaker 2: as ever he can in London, and Molly shall be
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Speaker 2: well cared for and have some change of air and
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Speaker 2: scene too, which is really what she needs as much
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Speaker 2: as anything. In my poor opinion, I can't spirit her
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Speaker 2: to the wedding and give her a sight of London,
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Speaker 2: but I can carry her off to the towers and
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Speaker 2: nurse her myself, and send daily bulletins up to London,
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Speaker 2: so mister Gibson may feel quite at ease and stay
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Speaker 2: with you as long as you like. What do you
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Speaker 2: say to it, Claire.
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Speaker 6: Oh, I could not go, said Molly, I should only
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Speaker 6: be a trouble to everybody.
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Speaker 2: Nobody asks you for your opinion, little one. If we
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Speaker 2: wise elders decide that you are to go, you must
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Speaker 2: admit in silence.
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Speaker 1: Meanwhile, missus Gibson was rapidly balancing advantages and disadvantages. Amongst
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Speaker 1: the latter, jealousy came in predominant amongst the former.
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Speaker 5: It would sound well Maria could then accompany Cynthia and
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Speaker 5: herself as their maid. Mister Gibson would stay longer with her,
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Speaker 5: and it was always desirable to have a man at
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Speaker 5: her beck and call in such a place as London.
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Speaker 5: Besides that this identical man was gentlemanly and good looking,
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Speaker 5: and her favorite with her prosperous brother in law. The
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Speaker 5: eyes had it, what a charming plan. I cannot think
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Speaker 5: of anything kinder or pleasanter for this poor darling. Only
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Speaker 5: what will Lady Cumnor say, I am modest for my
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Speaker 5: family as much as for myself. She won't, you.
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Speaker 2: Know, Mamma's sense of hospitality is never more gratified than
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Speaker 2: when the house is quite full, and Papa is just
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Speaker 2: like her. Besides, she is fond of you and grateful
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Speaker 2: to our good mister Gibson, and will be fond of you,
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Speaker 2: little one when she knows you as I do.
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Speaker 1: Molly's heart sank within her at the prospect. Except on
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Speaker 1: the one evening of her father's wedding day, she had
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Speaker 1: never even seen the outside of the towers since that
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Speaker 1: unlucky day in her childhood when she had fallen asleep
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Speaker 1: on Claire's bed.
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Speaker 6: She had a dread of the Countess, a dislike to
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Speaker 6: the house. Only it seemed as if it was a
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Speaker 6: solution to the problem of what to do with her,
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Speaker 6: which had been perplexing everyone all morning, and so evidently
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Speaker 6: that it had caused her much distress.
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Speaker 1: She kept silence, though her lips quivered from time to time.
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Speaker 6: Oh, if Miss Brownings had not chosen this very time,
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Speaker 6: of all others to pay their monthly visit to Miss Hornblower,
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Speaker 6: If she could only have gone there and lived with
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Speaker 6: them in their quaint, quiet, primitive way, instead of having
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Speaker 6: to listen without remonstrance to hearing plans discussed about her
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Speaker 6: as if she was an inanimate chattel.
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Speaker 2: She shall have the south groom opening out of mine
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Speaker 2: by one door, you remember, and the dressing room shall
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Speaker 2: be made into a little cozy sitting room for her.
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Speaker 2: In case she likes to be by herself, Parks shall
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Speaker 2: attend upon her, and I'm sure mister Gibson must know
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Speaker 2: Parks's powers as a nurse. By this time we shall
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Speaker 2: have all manner of agreeable people in the house to
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Speaker 2: amuse her downstairs. And when she has got rid of
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Speaker 2: this excess of cold, I will drive her out every
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Speaker 2: day and write daily bulletins. As I said, pray, tell
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Speaker 2: mister Gibson all that, and let it be considered as settled.
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Speaker 2: I will come for her in the closed carriage tomorrow
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Speaker 2: at eleven. And now may I see the lovely bride
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Speaker 2: elect and give her Mamma's presence and by own good wishes.
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Speaker 1: So Cynthia came in and demurely received the very proper
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Speaker 1: present and the equally correct congratulations, without testifying any very
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Speaker 1: great delight or gratitude at either, for she was quite
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Speaker 1: quick enough to detect there was no great afflux of
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Speaker 1: affection accompanying either. But when she heard her mother quickly
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Speaker 1: recapitulating all the details of the plan for Molly, Cynthia's
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Speaker 1: eyes did sparkle with gladness. And almost to Lady Harriet's surprise,
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Speaker 1: she thanked her as if she had conferred a personal
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Speaker 1: favor upon her Cynthia. Lady Harriet saw too, that in
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Speaker 1: a very quiet way, she had taken Molly's hand and
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Speaker 1: was holding it all the time, as if loath to
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Speaker 1: think of their approaching separation. Somehow she and Lady Harriet
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Speaker 1: were brought nearer together by this little action than they
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Speaker 1: had ever been before. If Molly had hoped that her
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Speaker 1: father might have raised some obstacles to the project, she
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Speaker 1: was disappointed. But indeed she was satisfied when she perceived
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Speaker 1: how he seemed to feel that by placing her under
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Speaker 1: the care of Lady Harriet and Parkes, he should be
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Speaker 1: relieved from anxiety, and how he spoke of.
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Speaker 4: This change of air unseen as being the very thing
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Speaker 4: he had been wishing to secure for her country, air
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Speaker 4: an absence of excitement, as this would be for the
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Speaker 4: only other place where he could have secured her these advantages,
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Speaker 4: and at the same time sent her as an invalid
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Speaker 4: was to Hamley Hall, and he dreaded the associations there
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Speaker 4: with the beginning of her present illness.
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Speaker 1: So Molly was driven off in state the next day,
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Speaker 1: leaving her own home all in confusion with the assemblage
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Speaker 1: of boxes and trunks in the hall and all the
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Speaker 1: other symptoms of the approaching departure of the family for
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Speaker 1: London and the wedding. All the morning, Cynthia had been
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Speaker 1: with her in her room, attending to the arrangement of
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Speaker 1: Molly's clothes, instructing her what to wear with what, and
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Speaker 1: rejoicing over the pretty smartnesses which, having been prepared for
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Speaker 1: her as bridesmaid, were now to serve as adornments for
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Speaker 1: her visit to the towers. Both Molly and Cynthia spoke
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Speaker 1: about dress as if it was the very object of
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Speaker 1: their lives, for each dreaded the introduceduction of more serious subjects,
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Speaker 1: Cynthia more for Molly than herself. Only when the carriage
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Speaker 1: was announced and Molly was preparing to go downstairs, Cynthia.
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Speaker 4: Said, I'm not going to thank you, Molly, or to
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Speaker 4: tell you how I love you.
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Speaker 6: Don't, said Molly. I can't bear it.
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Speaker 4: Only you know you ought to be my first visitor.
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Speaker 6: And if you wear brown ribbons to a green gown,
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Speaker 6: I'll turn you out of the house.
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Speaker 1: So they parted. Mister Gibson was there in the hall
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Speaker 1: to hand Molly in. He had ridden hard and was
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Speaker 1: now giving her two or three last injunctions as to
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Speaker 1: her health.
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Speaker 4: Think of us on Thursday, said he, I declare, I
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Speaker 4: don't know which of her three lovers she mayn't summon
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Speaker 4: at the very last moment to act the part of bridegroom.
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Speaker 4: I am determined to be surprised at nothing, and we'll
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Speaker 4: give her away with a good grace to whoever comes.
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Speaker 1: They drove away, and until they were out of sight
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Speaker 1: of the house, Molly had enough to do to keep
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Speaker 1: returning the kisses of the hand wafted to her by
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Speaker 1: her stepmother out of the drawing room window, while at
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Speaker 1: the same time her eyes were fixed on a white
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Speaker 1: handkerchief fluttering out of the attic from which she herself
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Speaker 1: had watched Roger's departure nearly two years before. What changes
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Speaker 1: time had brought. When Molly arrived at the Towers, she
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Speaker 1: was conveyed into Lady Cumnor's presence by Lady Harriet. It
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Speaker 1: was a mark of respect to the lady of the house,
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Speaker 1: which the latter knew that her mother would expect, but
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Speaker 1: she was anxious to get it over and take Molly
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Speaker 1: up into the room which she had been so busy
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Speaker 1: arranging for her. Lady Cumnor was, however, very kind, if
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Speaker 1: not positively gracious.
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Speaker 3: You are Lady Harriet's visitor, my dear, said she, and
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Speaker 3: I hope she will take good care of you. If not,
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Speaker 3: come and complain of her to me.
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Speaker 1: It was as near an approach to a joke as
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Speaker 1: Lady Cumnor ever perpetrated. And from it Lady Harriet knew
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Speaker 1: that her mother was pleased by Molly's manners and appearance.
21:12
Speaker 2: Now you are here in your own kingdom, and into
21:15
Speaker 2: this room. I shan't venture to come without express permission.
21:19
Speaker 2: Here is the last new quarterly, and the last new novel,
21:23
Speaker 2: and the last new essays. Now, my dear, you needn't
21:26
Speaker 2: come down again to day unless you like it. Park
21:29
Speaker 2: shall bring you everything and anything you want. You must
21:33
Speaker 2: get strong as fast as you can, for all sorts
21:36
Speaker 2: of great and famous people are coming to morrow and
21:38
Speaker 2: the next day, and I think you'll like to see them.
21:41
Speaker 2: Suppose for to day you only come down to lunch,
21:44
Speaker 2: and if you like it, in the evening dinner is
21:47
Speaker 2: such a weary long meal if one isn't strong and
21:50
Speaker 2: you wouldn't miss much, for there's only my cousin Charles
21:53
Speaker 2: in the house now, and he is the personification of
21:56
Speaker 2: sensible silence.
21:58
Speaker 1: Molly was only too glad to allow Lady Harriet to
22:01
Speaker 1: decide everything for her. It had begun to rain and
22:05
Speaker 1: was altogether a gloomy day for August, and there was
22:08
Speaker 1: a small fire of scented wood burning cheerfully in the
22:12
Speaker 1: sitting room appropriated to her high up. It commanded a
22:16
Speaker 1: wide and pleasant view over the park, and from it
22:20
Speaker 1: could be seen the spire of Hollingford Church, which gave
22:23
Speaker 1: Molly a pleasant idea of neighborhood to home. She was
22:27
Speaker 1: left alone, lying on the sofa books near her wood,
22:31
Speaker 1: crackling and blazing, wafts of wind, bringing the beating rain
22:36
Speaker 1: against the window and so enhancing the sense of indoor
22:39
Speaker 1: comfort by the outdoor contrast. Parks was unpacking for her.
22:44
Speaker 1: Lady Harriet had introduced Parks to Molly by saying.
22:49
Speaker 2: Now, Molly, this is missus Parks, the only person I
22:52
Speaker 2: am ever afraid of. She scolds me if I dirty
22:55
Speaker 2: myself with my paints, just as if I were a
22:57
Speaker 2: little child, and she makes me go to bed, and
23:00
Speaker 2: I want to sit up.
23:01
Speaker 1: Parks was smiling grimly all the time.
23:05
Speaker 2: So to get rid of her tyranny, I give you,
23:07
Speaker 2: as her victim, Parks rule over Miss Gibson with a
23:11
Speaker 2: rod of iron. Make her eat and drink, and rest
23:15
Speaker 2: and sleep and dress as you think wisest and best.
23:18
Speaker 1: Parks had begun her reign by putting Molly on the
23:21
Speaker 1: sofa and saying, if you will give me.
23:24
Speaker 3: Your keysmiss, I will unpack your things and let you
23:27
Speaker 3: know when it is time for me to arrange your
23:29
Speaker 3: hair preparatory to luncheon.
23:32
Speaker 1: For if Lady Harriet used familiar colloquialisms from time to time,
23:37
Speaker 1: she certainly had not learnt it from Parks, who piqued
23:40
Speaker 1: herself on the correctness of her language. When Molly went
23:44
Speaker 1: down to lunch, she found cousin Charles with his aunt,
23:48
Speaker 1: Lady Cumnor. He was a certain Sir Charles Morton, the
23:52
Speaker 1: son of Lady Cumnor's only sister, A plain, sandy haired
23:56
Speaker 1: man of thirty five or so, immensely rich, very sensible,
24:01
Speaker 1: awkward and reserved. He had had a chronic attachment of
24:06
Speaker 1: many years standing to his cousin Lady Harriet, who did
24:10
Speaker 1: not care for him in the least, although it was
24:12
Speaker 1: the marriage very earnestly desired for her by her mother.
24:17
Speaker 1: Lady Harriet was, however, on friendly terms with him, ordered
24:21
Speaker 1: him about and told him what to do and what
24:23
Speaker 1: to leave undone, without having even a doubt as to
24:27
Speaker 1: the willingness of his obedience. She had given him his
24:30
Speaker 1: cue about Molly.
24:32
Speaker 2: Now, Charles, the girl wants to be interested and amused
24:35
Speaker 2: without having to take any trouble for herself. She is
24:39
Speaker 2: too delicate to be very active, either in mind or body.
24:43
Speaker 2: Just look after her when the house gets full, and
24:45
Speaker 2: place her where she can hear and see everything and
24:48
Speaker 2: everybody without any fast and responsibility.
24:51
Speaker 1: So Sir Charles began this day at luncheon by taking
24:55
Speaker 1: Molly under his quiet protection. He did not say much
24:59
Speaker 1: to her, but what he did say was thoroughly friendly
25:02
Speaker 1: and sympathetic, and Molly began as he and Lady Harriet intended,
25:07
Speaker 1: that she should to have a kind of pleasant reliance
25:10
Speaker 1: upon him. Then, in the evening, while the rest of
25:13
Speaker 1: the family were at dinner, after Molly's tea and hour
25:16
Speaker 1: of quiet repose, Parkes came in and dressed her in
25:20
Speaker 1: some of the new clothes prepared for the Kirkpatrick visit,
25:24
Speaker 1: and did her hair in some new and pretty way,
25:26
Speaker 1: so that when Molly looked at herself in the chevel glass,
25:30
Speaker 1: she scarcely knew the elegant reflection to be that of herself.
25:35
Speaker 1: She was fetched down by Lady Harriet into the great, long,
25:39
Speaker 1: formidable drawing room, which, as an interminable place of pacing,
25:44
Speaker 1: had haunted her dreams ever since her childhood. At the
25:47
Speaker 1: further end sat Lady Cumnor at her tapestry work. The
25:51
Speaker 1: light of fire and candle seemed all concentrated on that
25:55
Speaker 1: one bright part where presently Lady Harriet made tea, and
25:59
Speaker 1: Lord Umner went to sleep, and Sir Charles read passages
26:03
Speaker 1: aloud from the Edinburgh Review to the three ladies at
26:07
Speaker 1: their work. When Molly went to bed, she was constrained
26:11
Speaker 1: to admit that staying at the Towers as a visitor
26:14
Speaker 1: was rather pleasant than otherwise, and she tried to reconcile
26:18
Speaker 1: old impressions with new ones until she fell asleep. There
26:23
Speaker 1: was another comparatively quiet day before the expected guests began
26:27
Speaker 1: to arrive. In the evening, Lady Harriet took Molly a
26:31
Speaker 1: drive in her little pony carriage, and for the first
26:34
Speaker 1: time for many weeks, Molly began to feel the delightful
26:37
Speaker 1: spring of returning health, the dance of youthful spirits in
26:42
Speaker 1: the fresh air cleared by the previous day's rain. End
26:47
Speaker 1: of Chapter fifty seven.