human
Well, mamma, is he coming to see papa in the morning?
gpt
No, dear; I am sorry to say she has refused him again.
human
Fastidious little puss! chuckled Sir Arthur.
gpt
Faith! it'll be the other that will come to-morrow.
human
Isn't Honour a queer quizzical sort of girl? inquired Mrs Cowper earnestly of her parents.
gpt
Do you think she will accept Mr Gerrard, mamma?
human
My dear, I am afraid to say, but I should fear not.
gpt
Why should she, if she don't want him? said Sir Arthur briskly.
human
Rosita, I don't like to see this eagerness to get rid of your daughters. It reflects badly upon your bringing-up of them, ma'am.
gpt
Oh no, papa; how can you say so? It speaks well for mamma's happiness in her married life.
human
I see Charles hasn't cured you of your pertness yet, miss--ma'am, I should say. Poor fellow! I wonder if I ought to have told him what he was bringing upon himself?
gpt
Something has just struck me, she said.
human
Why do we all take it for granted that Honour must end by marrying one of these two men? It may be some one we have never thought of that she really cares for.
gpt
My dear, don't imagine fresh complications, said her mother in alarm.
human
All the available young men have proposed, so that she could have had any one she liked.
gpt
Perhaps she was afraid of her cruel father, suggested Mrs Cowper, deftly arranging Sir Arthur's hair into a curl in the middle of his forehead.
human
Don't touch that, papa, whatever you do. I want Charley to see it; it will give him a new view of your character. Of course it is the persistence of these two men that makes you feel that one of them is fated to succeed. Others come and others go, but they go on for ever.
gpt
Perhaps it would be as well to forbid them both the house,
human
Not both at once, papa! Why, neither we nor Honour should ever know which was the right one, if they were both shut out together. You must do it in turn.
gpt
And after making one welcome for a week or so, pick a quarrel with him and install the other? Precious undignified, my dear child, but a man must make sacrifices for the sake of his family.
human
Ah, but that's just what you don't do! cried Marian, roused to recollection of a grievance of her own.
gpt
How could you all but promise Charley that if a peaceful mission was sent to Agpur, he should command the escort?
human
But surely, my dear, I was sacrificing my own comfort in promising to spare him?
gpt
No, you were sacrificing me! pouted his daughter.
human
I was making signs to you the whole time, not to let him go unless he would take me with him, and he won't. He has been horrid about it.
gpt
My dear Marian, you could not possibly go, with the hot weather coming on!
human
Nor in any weather whatever, said Sir Arthur firmly.
gpt
Your signals were lost on me, Marian, but nothing would induce me to consent to your going to Agpur. The place is clearly in a most disturbed state, and the good faith of the new Rajah extremely doubtful.
human
Then don't let Charley go,
gpt
You must settle that with your husband yourself, my dear. I have promised to allow him leave for the purpose if he wishes it.
human
And he will say that you are depending on him to command the escort, and I must settle it with you! complained Marian.
gpt
And nobody really thinks about me at all.
human
My dear, it will be an excellent opportunity for Charles to bring himself into notice, whether the progress of the mission is peaceable or not. And if he goes, you and Honour shall have a run up to the hills, if Lady Antony will be so good as to look after you. But at present it is quite uncertain whether a mission will be despatched at all. We may have war instead.
gpt
Well, I think you might send one of Honour's young men, papa, said Marian, half crying.
human
She doesn't care about either of them, and if anything happened to Charley I should die.
gpt
Oh, my dear, we will hope she cares for Mr Gerrard,