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Inahandsomeroom:thoughitsfurniturehadrathertheairofold-fashionedcomfort,thanofmodernelegance:theresattwoladiesatawell-spreadbreakfast-table.
Mr.Giles,dressedwithscrupulouscareinafullsuitofblack,wasinattendanceuponthem.
Hehadtakenhisstationsomehalf-waybetweentheside-boardandthebreakfast-table;and,withhisbodydrawnuptoitsfullheight,hisheadthrownback,andinclinedthemeresttrifleononeside,hisleftlegadvanced,andhisrighthandthrustintohiswaist-coat,whilehislefthungdownbyhisside,graspingawaiter,lookedlikeonewholabouredunderaveryagreeablesenseofhisownmeritsandimportance.
Ofthetwoladies,onewaswelladvancedinyears;butthehigh-backedoakenchairinwhichshesat,wasnotmoreuprightthanshe.
Dressedwiththeutmostnicetyandprecision,inaquaintmixtureofby-gonecostume,withsomeslightconcessionstotheprevailingtaste,whichratherservedtopointtheoldstylepleasantlythantoimpairitseffect,shesat,inastatelymanner,withherhandsfoldedonthetablebeforeher.
Hereyes(andagehaddimmedbutlittleoftheirbrightness)wereattentivelyuponheryoungcompanion.
Theyoungerladywasinthelovelybloomandspring-timeofwomanhood;atthatage,when,ifeverangelsbeforGod’sgoodpurposesenthronedinmortalforms,theymaybe,withoutimpiety,supposedtoabideinsuchashers.
Shewasnotpastseventeen.Castinsoslightandexquisiteamould;somildandgentle;sopureandbeautiful;thatearthseemednotherelement,noritsroughcreaturesherfitcompanions.
Theveryintelligencethatshoneinherdeepblueeye,andwasstampeduponhernoblehead,seemedscarcelyofherage,oroftheworld;andyetthechangingexpressionofsweetnessandgoodhumour,thethousandlightsthatplayedabouttheface,andleftnoshadowthere;aboveall,thesmile,thecheerful,happysmile,weremadeforHome,andfiresidepeaceandhappiness.
Shewasbusilyengagedinthelittleofficesofthetable.
Chancingtoraisehereyesastheelderladywasregardingher,sheplayfullyputbackherhair,whichwassimplybraidedonherforehead;andthrewintoherbeaminglook,suchanexpressionofaffectionandartlessloveliness,thatblessedspiritsmighthavesmiledtolookuponher.
‘AndBrittleshasbeengoneupwardsofanhour,hashe?’askedtheoldlady,afterapause.
‘Anhourandtwelveminutes,ma’am,’repliedMr.Giles,referringtoasilverwatch,whichhedrewforthbyablackribbon.
‘Heisalwaysslow,’remarkedtheoldlady.
‘Brittlesalwayswasaslowboy,ma’am,’repliedtheattendant.
Andseeing,bythebye,thatBrittleshadbeenaslowboyforupwardsofthirtyyears,thereappearednogreatprobabilityofhiseverbeingafastone.
‘Hegetsworseinsteadofbetter,Ithink,’saidtheelderlady.
‘Itisveryinexcusableinhimifhestopstoplaywithanyotherboys,’saidtheyounglady,smiling.
Mr.Gileswasapparentlyconsideringtheproprietyofindulginginarespectfulsmilehimself,whenagigdroveuptothegarden-gate:outofwhichtherejumpedafatgentleman,whoranstraightuptothedoor:andwho,gettingquicklyintothehousebysomemysteriousprocess,burstintotheroom,andnearlyoverturnedMr.Gilesandthebreakfast-tabletogether.
‘Ineverheardofsuchathing!’exclaimedthefatgentleman.‘MydearMrs.Maylie—blessmysoul—inthesilenceofthenight,too—Ineverheardofsuchathing!’
Withtheseexpressionsofcondolence,thefatgentlemanshookhandswithbothladies,anddrawingupachair,inquiredhowtheyfoundthemselves.
‘Yououghttobedead;positivelydeadwiththefright,’saidthefatgentleman.‘Whydidn’tyousend?
Blessme,mymanshouldhavecomeinaminute;andsowouldI;andmyassistantwouldhavebeendelighted;oranybody,I’msure,undersuchcircumstances.Dear,dear!Sounexpected!Inthesilenceofthenight,too!’
Thedoctorseemedexpeciallytroubledbythefactoftherobberyhavingbeenunexpected,andattemptedinthenight-time;asifitweretheestablishedcustomofgentlemeninthehousebreakingwaytotransactbusinessatnoon,andtomakeanappointment,bypost,adayortwoprevious.
‘Andyou,MissRose,’saidthedoctor,turningtotheyounglady,‘I—’
‘Oh!verymuchso,indeed,’saidRose,interruptinghim;‘butthereisapoorcreatureupstairs,whomauntwishesyoutosee.’
‘Ah!tobesure,’repliedthedoctor,‘sothereis.Thatwasyourhandiwork,Giles,Iunderstand.’
Mr.Giles,whohadbeenfeverishlyputtingthetea-cupstorights,blushedveryred,andsaidthathehadhadthathonour.
‘Honour,eh?’saidthedoctor;‘well,Idon’tknow;perhapsit’sashonourabletohitathiefinabackkitchen,astohityourmanattwelvepaces.
Fancythathefiredintheair,andyou’vefoughtaduel,Giles.’
Mr.Giles,whothoughtthislighttreatmentofthematteranunjustattemptatdiminishinghisglory,answeredrespectfully,thatitwasnotforthelikeofhimtojudgeaboutthat;butheratherthoughtitwasnojoketotheoppositeparty.
‘Gad,that’strue!’saidthedoctor.‘Whereishe?Showmetheway.I’lllookinagain,asIcomedown,Mrs.Maylie.That’sthelittlewindowthathegotinat,eh?Well,Icouldn’thavebelievedit!’
Talkingalltheway,hefollowedMr.Gilesupstairs;andwhileheisgoingupstairs,thereadermaybeinformed,thatMr.Losberne,asurgeonintheneighbourhood,knownthroughacircuitoftenmilesroundas‘thedoctor,’hadgrownfat,morefromgood-humourthanfromgoodliving:andwasaskindandhearty,andwithalaseccentricanoldbachelor,aswillbefoundinfivetimesthatspace,byanyexploreralive.
Thedoctorwasabsent,muchlongerthaneitherheortheladieshadanticipated.
Alargeflatboxwasfetchedoutofthegig;andabedroombellwasrungveryoften;andtheservantsranupanddownstairsperpetually;fromwhichtokensitwasjustlyconcludedthatsomethingimportantwasgoingonabove.
Atlengthhereturned;andinreplytoananxiousinquiryafterhispatient;lookedverymysterious,andclosedthedoor,carefully.
‘Thisisaveryextraordinarything,Mrs.Maylie,’saidthedoctor,standingwithhisbacktothedoor,asiftokeepitshut.
‘Heisnotindanger,Ihope?’saidtheoldlady.
‘Why,thatwouldnotbeanextraordinarything,underthecircumstances,’repliedthedoctor;‘thoughIdon’tthinkheis.Haveyouseenthethief?’
‘No,’rejoinedtheoldlady.
‘Norheardanythingabouthim?’
‘No.’
‘Ibegyourpardon,ma’am,interposedMr.Giles;‘butIwasgoingtotellyouabouthimwhenDoctorLosbernecamein.’
Thefactwas,thatMr.Gileshadnot,atfirst,beenabletobringhismindtotheavowal,thathehadonlyshotaboy.
Suchcommendationshadbeenbestoweduponhisbravery,thathecouldnot,forthelifeofhim,helppostponingtheexplanationforafewdeliciousminutes;duringwhichhehadflourished,intheveryzenithofabriefreputationforundauntedcourage.
‘Rosewishedtoseetheman,’saidMrs.Maylie,‘butIwouldn’thearofit.’
‘Humph!’rejoinedthedoctor.‘Thereisnothingveryalarminginhisappearance.Haveyouanyobjectiontoseehiminmypresence?’
‘Ifitbenecessary,’repliedtheoldlady,‘certainlynot.’
‘ThenIthinkitisnecessary,’saidthedoctor;‘atallevents,Iamquitesurethatyouwoulddeeplyregretnothavingdoneso,ifyoupostponedit.
Heisperfectlyquietandcomfortablenow.Allowme—MissRose,willyoupermitme?
Nottheslightestfear,Ipledgeyoumyhonour!’
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