IX

mentintothecornerwherehiswitsendedandwhereheprobablywouldhavestayedignominiously,forMissSchultzseemedhardlytobelisteningandreallyalmostlooked—hecouldn'tbelieveit,nogirlhadeverdoneitinhispresenceyet,butshedidundoubtedlyalmostlook—bored,ifMrs.Pearcehadnotflungopenthedoor,andholdingthetornportionsofherapronbunchedtogetherinherhands,nervouslyannouncedLadyShuttleworth. "Oh,"thoughtPriscilla,"whatadayI'mhaving."Butshegotupandwasgracious,forFritzinghadpraisedthisladyaskindandsensibleandthemomentLadyShuttleworthsethereyesonherthemysteryofherson'sbehaviourflashedintoclearness."Tussie'sseenher!"sheexclaimedinwardlyinstantlyadding"UponmywordIcan'tblametheboy." "Mydear,"shesaid,holdingPriscilla'shand,"I'vecometomakefriendswithyou.SeewhatawiseoldwomanIam.Frankly,Ididn'twantyouinthosecottages,butnowthatmysonhassoldthemIlosenotimeinmakingfriends.Isn'tthattruewisdom?" "It'strueniceness,"saidPriscilla,smilingdownatthelittleoldladywhoseeyesweretwinklingalloverher."Idon'tthinkyou'llfindusinanywayanuisance.Allwewantistobequiet." Mrs.Morrisonsniffed. "Doyoureally?"saidLadyShuttleworth."Thenweshallgetoncapitally.It'swhatIlikebestmyself.Andyou'vecometoo,"shewenton,turningtoMrs.Morrison,"tomakefriendswithyournewparishioner?Why,Robin,andyoutoo?" "Oh,I'monlyaccidental,"saidRobinquickly."Onlyarestoreroflostproperty.AndI'mjustgoing,"headded,beginningtomakehastyadieuxforLadyShuttleworthinvariablyproducedaconvictioninhimthathisclothesdidn'tfitandwantedbrushingbadly,andnoyoungmansoattentivetohisappearanceasRobincouldbeexpectedtoenjoythat.Hefledtherefore,feelingthatevenMissSchultz'slovelinesswouldnotmakeupforLadyShuttleworth'seyesandinthepassage,fromwhenceMrs.Pearcehadretreated,removingherselfasfarasmightbefromtheawfulladytowhomherfather-in-lawowedrentandwhosaweveryhole,RobinpouncedonhisUncleCox'sumbrella,tuckedisoncemorebeneathhisarm,andboreitswiftlybacktothestandwhereithadspentfivepeacefulyears."Reallyoldwomenareratherterriblethings,"hethoughtashedroppeditinagain."Iwonderwhatthey'reherefor." "Ah,it'sthere,Isee,"remarkedhismotherthatnightasshepassedthroughthehallonherwaytodinner. "Whatis?"inquiredRobinwhowasjustbehindher. "YourUncleCox'sumbrella." "Dearmater,whythisextremeinterestinmyUncleCox'sumbrella?" "I'mgladtoseeitbackagain,that'sall.Onegetssousedtothings." LadyShuttleworthandhismother—IshuddertothinkthatitispossibleRobinincludedhismotherinthereflectionaboutoldwomen,butontheotherhandonenevercantell—hadstayedonatthefarmforanothertwentyminutesafterheleft.Theywouldhavestayedlonger,forLadyShuttleworthwasmoreinterestedinPriscillathanshehadeverbeeninanygirlbefore,andMrs.Morrison,whosawthisinterestandheardthekindspeeches,hadchangedaltogetherfromicetoamiability,crushingherleafletsinherhandandmorethanonceexpressinghopesthatMissNeumann-SchultzwouldsooncomeuptoteaandlearntoknowandlikeNetta—Irepeat,theywouldhavestayedmuchlonger,butthatanextremelyoddthinghappened. Priscillahadbeencharmingchattingwithwhatseemedabsolutefranknessaboutherfuturelifeinthecottages,answeringlittlequestioningsofLadyShuttleworth'swithadiscretionandplausibilitythatwouldhavewarmedFritzing'sanxiousheart,dwellingmost,forherethegroundwassafest,onheruncle,hiswork,hisgiftsandcharacter,andLadyShuttleworth,completelyfascinated,hadofferedherhelpofeverysort,helpinthearrangingofherlittlehome,intheplantingofitsgarden,eveninthebuildingofthosebathroomsaboutwhichTussiehadbeentoldbyMr.Dawson.Shethoughtthedesireformanybathroomsentirelypraiseworthy,andonlyasignoflunacyinpersonsofsmallmeans.FritzinghadassuredTussiethathehadmoneyenoughforthebathroomsandifhispoeticniecelikedeverybodyabouthertobenicelywashedwasnotthatatastetobeapplauded?PerhapsLadyShuttleworthexpatiatedonplansandprobablebuilding-costslongerthanPriscillawasabletobeinterestedperhapsshewasover-explanatoryofpracticaldetailsanyhowPriscilla'sattentionbegantowander,andshegraduallybecameverytiredofhercallers.Sheansweredinmonosyllables,andhersmilegrewvague.Thensuddenly,atthefirstfullstopLadyShuttleworthreachedinasentenceaboutsanitation—theentireparagraphwasneverfinished—shegotupwithherusualdeliberategrace,andheldoutherhand. "Ithasbeenverykindofyoutocomeandseeme,"shesaidtotheastoundedlady,withalittlegracioussmile."Ihopeyouwillbothcomeagainanothertime." ForaninstantLadyShuttleworththoughtshewasmad.Thentoherownamazementshefoundherbodyrisingobedientlyandlettingitshandbetaken. Mrs.Morrisondidthesame.Bothhadtheirhandsslightlypressed,bothweresmiledupon,andbothwentoutatonceandspeechless.Priscillastoodcalmlywhiletheywalkedtothedoor,withthelittlesmilefixedonherface. "Isitpossiblewe'vebeeninsulted?"burstoutMrs.Morrisonwhentheygotoutside. "Idon'tknow,"saidLadyShuttleworth,wholookedextremelythoughtful. "DoyouthinkitcanpossiblybethebarbarousGermancustom?" "Idon'tknow,"saidLadyShuttleworthagain. Andallthewaytothevicarage,whithershedroveMrs.Morrison,shewasverysilent,andnoexclamationsandconjecturesofthatindignantlady'scouldgetawordoutofher.