CHAPTER XII

dthecountry.Isupposethereisnotamaninsuchpracticeanywhere.Butthenthereisnotsocleveramananywhere.” “AndMrs.Perryandthechildren,howarethey?dothechildrengrow?IhaveagreatregardforMr.Perry.Ihopehewillbecallingsoon.Hewillbesopleasedtoseemylittleones.” “Ihopehewillbehereto-morrow,forIhaveaquestionortwotoaskhimaboutmyselfofsomeconsequence.And,mydear,wheneverhecomes,youhadbetterlethimlookatlittleBella’sthroat.” “Oh!mydearsir,herthroatissomuchbetterthatIhavehardlyanyuneasinessaboutit.Eitherbathinghasbeenofthegreatestservicetoher,orelseitistobeattributedtoanexcellentembrocationofMr.Wingfield’s,whichwehavebeenapplyingattimeseversinceAugust.” “Itisnotverylikely,mydear,thatbathingshouldhavebeenofusetoher—andifIhadknownyouwerewantinganembrocation,Iwouldhavespokento— “YouseemtometohaveforgottenMrs.andMissBates,”saidEmma,“Ihavenotheardoneinquiryafterthem.” “Oh!thegoodBateses—Iamquiteashamedofmyself—butyoumentiontheminmostofyourletters.Ihopetheyarequitewell.GoodoldMrs.Bates—Iwillcalluponherto-morrow,andtakemychildren.—Theyarealwayssopleasedtoseemychildren.—AndthatexcellentMissBates!—suchthoroughworthypeople!—Howarethey,sir?” “Why,prettywell,mydear,uponthewhole.ButpoorMrs.Bateshadabadcoldaboutamonthago.” “HowsorryIam!Butcoldswereneversoprevalentastheyhavebeenthisautumn.Mr.Wingfieldtoldmethathehasneverknownthemmoregeneralorheavy—exceptwhenithasbeenquiteaninfluenza.” “Thathasbeenagooddealthecase,mydearbutnottothedegreeyoumention.Perrysaysthatcoldshavebeenverygeneral,butnotsoheavyashehasveryoftenknowntheminNovember.Perrydoesnotcallitaltogetherasicklyseason.” “No,IdonotknowthatMr.Wingfieldconsidersitverysicklyexcept— “Ah!mypoordearchild,thetruthis,thatinLondonitisalwaysasicklyseason.NobodyishealthyinLondon,nobodycanbe.Itisadreadfulthingtohaveyouforcedtolivethere!sofaroff!—andtheairsobad!” “No,indeed—wearenotatallinabadair.OurpartofLondonisverysuperiortomostothers!—YoumustnotconfounduswithLondoningeneral,mydearsir.TheneighbourhoodofBrunswickSquareisverydifferentfromalmostalltherest.Wearesoveryairy!Ishouldbeunwilling,Iown,toliveinanyotherpartofthetown—thereishardlyanyotherthatIcouldbesatisfiedtohavemychildrenin:butwearesoremarkablyairy!—Mr.WingfieldthinksthevicinityofBrunswickSquaredecidedlythemostfavourableastoair.” “Ah!mydear,itisnotlikeHartfield.Youmakethebestofit—butafteryouhavebeenaweekatHartfield,youareallofyoudifferentcreaturesyoudonotlooklikethesame.NowIcannotsay,thatIthinkyouareanyofyoulookingwellatpresent.” “Iamsorrytohearyousayso,sirbutIassureyou,exceptingthoselittlenervoushead-achesandpalpitationswhichIamneverentirelyfreefromanywhere,Iamquitewellmyselfandifthechildrenwereratherpalebeforetheywenttobed,itwasonlybecausetheywerealittlemoretiredthanusual,fromtheirjourneyandthehappinessofcoming.Ihopeyouwillthinkbetteroftheirlooksto-morrowforIassureyouMr.Wingfieldtoldme,thathedidnotbelievehehadeversentusoffaltogether,i