CHAPTER XVI. THE SUBSTITUTION

hortpause,resumingsomethingofherusualcheerfulness.“TheballatAshbyParktakesplaceonTuesday,youknowandmammathinksitverylikelythatSirThomaswillproposetomethen:suchthingsareoftendoneintheprivacyoftheball-room,whengentlemenaremosteasilyensnared,andladiesmostenchanting.ButifIamtobemarriedsosoon,Imustmakethebestofthepresenttime:IamdeterminedHatfieldshallnotbetheonlymanwhoshalllayhisheartatmyfeet,andimploremetoaccepttheworthlessgiftinvain.” “IfyoumeanMr.Westontobeoneofyourvictims,”saidI,withaffectedindifference,“youwillhavetomakesuchoverturesyourselfthatyouwillfinditdifficulttodrawbackwhenheasksyoutofulfiltheexpectationsyouhaveraised.” “Idon’tsupposehewillaskmetomarryhim,norshouldIdesireit:thatwouldberathertoomuchpresumption!butIintendhimtofeelmypower.Hehasfeltitalready,indeed:butheshallacknowledgeittooandwhatvisionaryhopeshemayhave,hemustkeeptohimself,andonlyamusemewiththeresultofthem—foratime.” “Oh!thatsomekindspiritwouldwhisperthosewordsinhisear,”Iinwardlyexclaimed.IwasfartooindignanttohazardareplytoherobservationaloudandnothingmorewassaidaboutMr.Westonthatday,bymeorinmyhearing.Butnextmorning,soonafterbreakfast,MissMurraycameintotheschoolroom,wherehersisterwasemployedatherstudies,orratherherlessons,forstudiestheywerenot,andsaid,“Matilda,Iwantyoutotakeawalkwithmeabouteleveno’clock.” “Oh,Ican’t,Rosalie!Ihavetogiveordersaboutmynewbridleandsaddle-cloth,andspeaktotherat-catcherabouthisdogs:MissGreymustgowithyou.” “No,Iwantyou,”saidRosalieandcallinghersistertothewindow,shewhisperedanexplanationinherearuponwhichthelatterconsentedtogo. IrememberedthatelevenwasthehouratwhichMr.Westonproposedtocometotheporter’slodgeandrememberingthat,Ibeheldthewholecontrivance.Accordingly,atdinner,IwasentertainedwithalongaccountofhowMr.Westonhadovertakenthemastheywerewalkingalongtheroadandhowtheyhadhadalongwalkandtalkwithhim,andreallyfoundhimquiteanagreeablecompanionandhowhemusthavebeen,andevidentlywas,delightedwiththemandtheiramazingcondescension,&c.&c.