JustthenSquireHamleycamein。Itwashisfirstcall；andMrsGibsongavehimagracefulwelcome，andwasquitereadytoaccepthisapologyforitstardiness，andtoassurehimthatshequiteunderstoodthepressureofbusinessoneverylandownerwhofarmedhisownestate。Butnosuchapologywasmade。Heshookherhandheartily，asamarkofcongratulationonhergoodfortuneinhavingsecuredsuchaprizeashisfriendGibson，butsaidnothingabouthislongneglectofduty。Molly，whobythistimeknewthefewstrongexpressionsofhiscountenancewell，wassurethatsomethingwasthematter，andthathewasverymuchdisturbed。HehardlyattendedtoMrsGibson’sfluentopeningofconversation，forshehadalreadydeterminedtomakeafavourableimpressiononthefatherofthehandsomeyoungmanwhowasheirtoanestate，besideshisownpersonalagreeableness；butheturnedtoMolly，and，addressingher，said—almostinalowvoice，asifhewasmakingaconfidencetoherthathedidnotintendMrsGibsontohear，—’Molly，weareallwrongathome！OsbornehaslostthefellowshipatTrinityhewentbacktotryfor。Thenhehasgoneandfailedmiserablyinhisdegree，afterallthathesaid，andthathismothersaid；andI，likeafool，wentandboastedaboutmycleverson。Ican’tunderstandit。IneverexpectedanythingextraordinaryfromRoger；butOsborne——！Andthenithasthrownmadamintooneofherbadfitsofillness；andsheseemstohaveafancyforyou，child！Yourfathercametoseeherthismorning。Poorthing，she’sverypoorly，I’mafraid；andshetoldhimhowsheshouldliketohaveyouabouther，andhesaidImightfetchyou。You’llcome，won’tyou，mydear？
She’snotapoorwoman，suchasmanypeoplethinkit’stheonlycharitytobekindto，butshe’sjustasforlornofwoman’scareasifshewaspoor—worse，Idaresay。’’I’llbereadyintenminutes，’saidMolly，muchtouchedbythesquire’swordsandmanner，neverthinkingofaskingherstepmother’sconsent，nowthatshehadheardthatherfatherhadgivenhis。Assherosetoleavetheroom，MrsGibson，whohadonlyhalfheardwhatthesquirehadsaid，andwasalittleaffrontedattheexclusivenessofhisconfidence，said，—’Mydear，whereareyougoing？’’MrsHamleywantsme，andpapasaysImaygo，’saidMolly；andalmostatthesametimethesquirereplied，—’Mywifeisill，andasshe’sveryfondofyourdaughter，shebeggedMrGibsontoallowhertocometotheHallforalittlewhile，andhekindlysaidshemight，andI’mcometofetchher。’’Stopaminute，darling，’saidMrsGibsontoMolly—aslightcloudoverhercountenance，inspiteofhercaressingword。’Iamsuredearpapaquiteforgotthatyouweretogooutwithmeto—night，tovisitpeople，’continuedshe，addressingherselftothesquire，’withwhomIamquiteunacquainted—anditisveryuncertainifMrGibsoncanreturnintimetogowithme—so，yousee，IcannotallowMollytogowithyou。’’Ishouldn’thavethoughtitwouldhavesignified。Bridesarealwaysbrides，Isuppose；andit’stheirparttobetimid；butIshouldn’thavethoughtit—inthiscase。Andmywifesetsherheartonthings，assickpeopledo。Well，Molly’（inaloudertone，fortheseforegoingsentenceswerespokensottovoce），’wemustputitofftillto—morrow：andit’sourloss，notyours，’hecontinued，ashesawthereluctancewithwhichsheslowlyreturnedtoherplace。’You’llbeasgayascanbeto—night，Idaresay——’’No，Ishallnot，’brokeinMolly。’Ineverwantedtogo，andnowIshallwantitlessthanever。’’Hush，mydear，’saidMrsGibson；and，addressingthesquire，sheadded，’Thevisitinghereisnotallonecouldwishforsoyoungagirl—noyoungpeople，nodances，nothingofgaiety；butitiswronginyou，Molly，tospeakagainstsuchkindfriendsofyourfather’sasIunderstandtheseCockerellsare。Don’tgivesobadanimpressionofyourselftothekindsquire。’’Letheralone！letheralone！’quothhe。’Iseewhatshemeans。She’drathercomeandbeinmywife’ssick—roomthangooutforthisvisitto—night。
Istherenowayofgettingheroff？’’Nonewhatever，’saidMrsGibson。’Anengagementisanengagementwithme；andIconsiderthatsheisnotonlyengagedtoMrsCockerell，buttome—boundtoaccompanyme，inmyhusband’sabsence。’Thesquirewasputout；andwhenhewasputouthehadatrickofplacinghishandsonhiskneesandwhistlingsoftlytohimself。Mollyknewthisphaseofhisdispleasure，andonlyhopedhewouldconfinehimselftothiswordlessexpressionofannoyance。Itwasprettyhardworkforhertokeepthetearsoutofhereyes；andsheendeavouredtothinkofsomethingelse，ratherthandwellonregretsandannoyances。SheheardMrsGibsontalkingoninasweetmonotone，andwishedtoattendtowhatshewassaying，butthesquire’svisibleannoyancestrucksharperonhermind。Atlength，afterapauseofsilence，hestartedup，andsaid，—’Well！it’snouse。Poormadam；shewon’tlikeit。She’llbedisappointed！
Butit’sbutforoneevening！—butforoneevening！Shemaycometo—morrow，mayn’tshe？Orwillthedissipationofsuchaneveningasshedescribes，betoomuchforher？’TherewasatouchofsavageironyinhismannerwhichfrightenedMrsGibsonintogoodbehaviour。’Sheshallbereadyatanytimeyouname。Iamsosorry：myfoolishshynessisinfault，Ibelieve；butstillyoumustacknowledgethatanengagementisanengagement。’’DidIeversayanengagementwasanelephant，madam？However，there’snousesayinganymoreaboutit，orIshallforgetmymanners。I’manoldtyrant，andshe—lyingthereinbed，poorgirl—hasalwaysgivenmemyownway。Soyou’llexcuseme，MrsGibson，won’tyou；andletMollycomealongwithmeattento—morrowmorning？’’Certainly，’saidMrsGibson，smiling。Butwhenhisbackwasturned，shesaidtoMolly，—’Now，mydear，Imustneverhaveyouexposingmetotheill—mannersofsuchamanagain！Idon’tcallhimasquire；Icallhimaboor，orayeomanatbest。Youmustnotgoonacceptingorrejectinginvitationsasifyouwereanindependentyounglady，Molly。Paymetherespectofareferencetomywishesanothertime，ifyouplease，mydear！’’PapahadsaidImightgo，’saidMolly，chokingalittle。’AsIamnowyourmammayourreferencesmustbetome，forthefuture。
Butasyouaretogoyoumayaswelllookwelldressed。Iwilllendyoumynewshawlforthisvisit，ifyoulikeit，andmysetofgreenribbons。