CHAPTER III.

nisintimatethere,andtheyhavealwaysagoodkindofpeoplestayinginthehouse.Mrs.Arrowpointispeculiar,certainlysomethingofacaricature,infactbutwell-meaning.AndMissArrowpointisasniceaspossible.ItisnotallyoungladieswhohavemothersashandsomeandgracefulasyoursandAnna’s.” Mrs.Davilowsmiledfaintlyatthislittlecompliment,butthehusbandandwifelookedaffectionatelyateachother,andGwendolenthought,“Myuncleandaunt,atleast,arehappy:theyarenotdullanddismal.”Altogether,shefeltsatisfiedwithherprospectsatOffendene,asagreatimprovementonanythingshehadknown.Eventhecheapcurates,sheincidentallylearned,werealmostalwaysyoungmenoffamily,andMr.Middleton,theactualcurate,wassaidtobequiteanacquisition:itwasonlyapityhewassosoontoleave. Buttherewasonepointwhichshewassoanxioustogainthatshecouldnotallowtheeveningtopasswithouttakinghermeasurestowardsecuringit.Hermamma,sheknew,intendedtosubmitentirelytoheruncle’sjudgmentwithregardtoexpenditureandthesubmissionwasnotmerelyprudential,forMrs.Davilow,consciousthatshehadalwaysbeenseenunderacloudaspoordearFanny,whohadmadeasadblunderwithhersecondmarriage,feltaheartysatisfactioninbeingfranklyandcordiallyidentifiedwithhersister’sfamily,andinhavingheraffairscanvassedandmanagedwithanauthoritywhichpresupposedagenuineinterest.Thusthequestionofasuitablesaddle-horse,whichhadbeensufficientlydiscussedwithmamma,hadtobereferredtoMr.GascoigneandafterGwendolenhadplayedonthepiano,whichhadbeenprovidedfromWanchester,hadsungtoherhearers’admiration,andhadinducedheruncletojoinherinaduet—whatmoresofteninginfluencethanthisonanyunclewhowouldhavesungfinelyifhistimehadnotbeentoomuchtakenupbygravermatters?—sheseizedtheopportunemomentforsaying,“Mamma,youhavenotspokentomyuncleaboutmyriding.” “Gwendolendesiresaboveallthingstohaveahorsetoride—apretty,light,lady’shorse,”saidMrs.Davilow,lookingatMr.Gascoigne.“Doyouthinkwecanmanageit?” Mr.GascoigneprojectedhislowerlipandliftedhishandsomeeyebrowssarcasticallyatGwendolen,whohadseatedherselfwithmuchgraceontheelbowofhermamma’schair. “Wecouldlendhertheponysometimes,”saidMrs.Gascoigne,watchingherhusband’sface,andfeelingquitereadytodisapproveifhedid. “Thatmightbeinconveniencingothers,aunt,andwouldbenopleasuretome.Icannotendureponies,”saidGwendolen.“Iwouldrathergiveupsomeotherindulgenceandhaveahorse.”(Wasthereeverayoungladyorgentlemannotreadytogiveupanunspecifiedindulgenceforthesakeofthefavoriteonespecified?) “Sheridessowell.Shehashadlessons,andtheriding-mastersaidshehadsogoodaseatandhandshemightbetrustedwithanymount,”saidMrs.Davilow,who,evenifshehadnotwishedherdarlingtohavethehorse,wouldnothavedaredtobelukewarmintryingtogetitforher. “Thereisthepriceofthehorse—agoodsixtywiththebestchance,andthenhiskeep,”saidMr.Gascoigne,inatonewhich,thoughdemurring,betrayedtheinwardpresenceofsomethingthatfavoredthedemand.“Therearethecarriage-horses—alreadyaheavyitem.Andrememberwhatyouladiescostintoiletnow.” “Ireallywearnothingbuttwoblackdresses,”saidMrs.Davilow,hastily.“Andtheyoungergirls,ofcourse,requirenotoiletatpresent.Besides,Gwendolenwillsavemesomuchbygivinghersisterslessons.”HereMrs.Davilow’sdelicatecheekshowedarapidblush.“Ifitwerenotforthat,Imustreallyhaveamoreexpensivegoverness,andmastersbesides.” Gwendolenfeltsomeangerwithhermamma,butcarefullyconcealedit. “Thatisgood—thatisdecidedlygood,”saidMr.Gascoigne,heartily,lookingathiswife.AndGwendolen,who,itmustbeowned,wasadeepyounglady,suddenlymovedawaytotheotherendofthelongdrawing-room,andbusiedherselfwitharrangingpiecesofmusic. “Thedearchildhashadnoindulgences,nopleasures,”saidMrs.Davilow,inapleadingundertone.“Ifeeltheexpenseisratherimprudentinthisfirstyearofoursettling.Butshereallyneedstheexercise—sheneedscheering.Andifyouweretoseeheronhorseback,itissomethingsplendid.” “ItiswhatwecouldnotaffordforAnna,”saidMrs.Gascoigne.“Butshe,dearchild,wouldrideLotta’sdonkeyandthinkitgoodenough.”(AnnawasabsorbedinagamewithIsabel,whohadhuntedoutanoldback-gammon-board,andhadbeggedtositupanextrahour.) “Certainly,afinewomanneverlooksbetterthanonhorseback,”saidMr.Gascoigne.“AndGwendolenhasthefigureforit.Idon’tsaythethingshouldnotbeconsidered.” “Wemighttryitforatime,atallevents.Itcanbegivenup,ifnecessary,”saidMrs.Davilow. “Well,IwillconsultLordBrackenshaw’sheadgroom.HeismyfidusAchatesinthehorseyway.” “Thanks,”saidMrs.Davilow,muchrelieved.“Youareverykind.” “Thathealwaysis,”saidMrs.Gascoigne.Andlaterthatnight,whensheandherhusbandwereinprivate,shesaid, “IthoughtyouwerealmosttooindulgentaboutthehorseforGwendolen.Sheoughtnottoclaimsomuchmorethanyourowndaughterwouldthinkof.EspeciallybeforeweseehowFannymanagesonherincome.Andyoureallyhaveenoughtodowithouttakingallthistroubleonyourself.” “MydearNancy,onemustlookatthingsfromeverypointofview.Thisgirlisreallyworthsomeexpense:youdon’toftenseeherequal.Sheoughttomakeafirst-ratemarriage,andIshouldnotbedoingmydutyifIsparedmytroubleinhelpingherforward.Youknowyourselfshehasbeenunderadisadvantagewithsuchafather-in-law,andasecondfamily,keepingheralwaysintheshade.Ifeelforthegirl,AndIshouldlikeyoursisterandherfamilynowtohavethebenefitofyourhavingmarriedratherabetterspecimenofourkindthanshedid.” “Ratherbetter!Ishouldthinkso.However,itisformetobegratefulthatyouwilltakesomuchonyourshouldersforthesakeofmysisterandherchildren.IamsureIwouldnotgrudgeanythingtopoorFanny.ButthereisonethingIhavebeenthinkingof,thoughyouhavenevermentionedit.” “Whatisthat?” “Theboys.IhopetheywillnotbefallinginlovewithGwendolen.” “Don’tpresupposeanythingofthekind,mydear,andtherewillbenodanger.Rexwillneverbeathomeforlongtogether,andWarhamisgoingtoIndia.Itisthewiserplantotakeitforgrantedthatcousinswillnotfallinlove.Ifyoubeginwithprecautions,theaffairwillcomeinspiteofthem.OnemustnotundertaketoactforProvidenceinthesematters,whichcannomorebeheldunderthehandthanabroodofchickens.Theboyswillhavenothing,andGwendolenwillhavenothing.Theycan’tmarry.Attheworsttherewouldonlybealittlecrying,andyoucan’tsaveboysandgirlsfromthat.” Mrs.Gascoigne’smindwassatisfied:ifanythingdidhappen,therewasthecomfortoffeelingthatherhusbandwouldknowwhatwastobedone,andwouldhavetheenergytodoit.