THE Times of the two more of large banking houses, and there were dark in the City article about a great capitalist, which were perfectly to those who had not been up to talk Stock Exchange fluently, but by the more learned Willis to to Sampson's house. "I to that that has gone off any day, and he will take some of your money with him, Charlie," he said to the little boy, who was on his knee; "I am sorry on your account, but, mind, we must make the best of it."
The idea of Willis making the best of anything was so startling, such a very novelty, that this was much as the of a great would have been from else. The Hopkinsons all looked at him with the commiseration, and with some curiosity, just as people when a fresh at the Zoological Gardens. A "Willis-making-the-best-of-it" was a new specimen, a and animal; and when it appeared that his black had disappeared, and that he was like any other common-place gentleman, in an common-place dark coat, the of the family no bounds. If he had that he had all his and was going to himself, the girls would have laughed and said "how like Charles"; but when he to think that only part of his was at stake, and that, for Charlie's sake, he did not to be about it, they were all in the grief–Captain Hopkinson assistance, Mrs. Hopkinson in her pocket handkerchief, and the girls, under of Charlie, actually Willis on the shoulder, and his hair, and going through all the methods of consolation.
"By the bye, ladies, I have you some for the day," he said, producing two articles of and white silk; "there is a terrible want of at Marble Hall, and you will be alive."
"Really," said Rose to her sister, "I I should have fainted, if I had how, when Charles gave us those parasols, and to we should be or not. They are like that of Miss Monteneros' that we so much. Janet, he must be in love with Rachel, and all this is her doing."
"I should not be surprised," said Janet, her sagely. "When people are in love they are so very benevolent–at least, so I have always heard; of course, I know nothing about it. But I am sure there was something very in that long talk he and Rachel had in the garden the other day: Charles has been a different man since. But now, Rose, it is time to dress."
When they at Marble Hall, any as to the Sampson were set at rest. There were more in liveries, a of plants, more pineapples, and a of (not hot) than ever. The Baroness a of such very yellow that the sun was and in. She her guests with the most painful affability–was so to them for coming–so that they would not be amused, as Mario and Bosio had failed her just at the last moment–and so much that the Baron, who was about this Scotch property, had not yet returned from town, that it difficult to respond to her civilities. She a thick of over her face, on of a cold, but through that and a still of rouge, a a face, lips, and red, eyes.
Rachel her two friends with the warmth, and then herself to making Mrs. Hopkinson comfortable; but not Willis, in the background, had had the of his and admired, and the with which Rachel met him him that this to his sisters-in-law had to the lady of his love.
"I can't think what Lady Chester meant," said Harcourt, joining the two sisters, "by talking of the Baroness as and important. I have had in from her to me for her with my presence here to-day. I like a Royal Duke, and to the play God save the Queen as I with much out on the lawn. Now, Miss Rose, shall we go and the music in the saloon, which the Baroness me is not of my notice?"
Whether it were or not will be known, for Harcourt and Rose passed the open of the without appearing to the of that from them, and on to a bench in the flower garden, where they to be in conversation. Indeed, Harcourt their by saying he had something very particular to say. Mr. Greydon asked Janet soon after if she would not like to her sister and, upon her assenting, he her in an opposite direction. Perhaps he too had something particular to say.
The the of their which were to among his City friends were stopped by his appearance. He appeared to have the to which the Baroness her appearance, and a that should his eye, forehead, and of and would have been tantalising. As usual, he to the of the day, and was much in talking over with his friends the of the Corban family, and his to a for them on a large scale.
"Corban may not have had a clear for business, but I a more not exist, the some of his are against him. His family are, I am told, in a sad state. There was a talk of out on the stage that Miss Corban, you have sing at my wife's parties. Now, on the score of morality, I must try to prevent this–her talents, her beauty, her very archness, are all so many snares–I have put my name for five hundred pounds, and to many others to join in this good work. I there are sandwiches or some of that in the dining-room; shall we there, and after dinner see what can be done for these Corbans?"
And so they all to the turtle, and venison, and pine-apple, that sandwiches, and themselves with a view of being eventually.
Janet and Rose, looking very demure, had their father and mother ; and of course, by the accident, Mr. Greydon and Mr. Harcourt met them through the that was into the dining-room, and offered their services. They places not very from the Baron, which was an position, as they an occasional of morality, so well that it an on the memory, and might be of use to them for life. His liberality, too, for he was still in the of the Corbans, was good as an example; and Janet to wonder a sovereign, the only one she had, might not be offered, more as a to the of the Baron's example and than with any of its being of the smallest use. She doubted, indeed, he would know a single by sight, he to with them so by hundreds and thousands.
However, at this moment it would have been to address him; a had been to him marked 'Immediate.' He read it with unconcern, but his from his hand as he them from his eyes. "Ah, my dear lady," he said, to the great lady of the party, who was seated at his right hand. "This is one of the of age, which you will one day have to endure; I am always my or my glasses. Do take of your eyes; mine are out."
As the friend he was past sixty, and had for some years enjoyed, in the of home, the of what she called clearers, she was particularly pleased with this little address. The Baroness had the arrive, and the of the glasses, perhaps, had a meaning to her, which no one else to it. How often is the of the husband, when it and to the of society, full of and terror to the wife who its line, its most expression. Baroness Sampson saw that, for one moment, her husband's hand had been unnerved, and to her this told all. She passed her over her face, and then rose from the table. Her and movements the she of faintness, she left the room, that her and the of the room had overcome her, and that Rachel must take her place.
The Baron a minutes, that his wife had been for some days, and then to after her, having the company to to the room and dancing. He returned shortly, and said that the Baroness was so up, he she would be able to reappear; and then, taking the arm of his son, who had only just arrived, he the garden walk which to the river, and was no more.
The party soon after, with a that "something was wrong," but a wish not to their any longer; the Hopkinson ladies had their as soon as dinner was over. Thanks to Rachel's attention, Mrs. Hopkinson had been amused. A of this kind, with of music, singing, jugglers, etc., was a to her; and she came home in the spirits, making the most to the girls for having their friend.
"She is a good, kind-hearted girl as lived, and very to her elders, which I look upon as a very quality. I have come to the age when I a little attention from people. To be sure she says a odd things, but then I have been that if talked in the same way, if they were all as as I am, for example, it would be very dull, and Miss Monteneros is very amusing; and, my dears, I am sure now, though I did not think so at first, that Charles her very much. He was always us about, and that not be for my sake, as he sees more than of me, and he was so and obliging. Well, she is of little Charlie, and she will make a good if he is to have one; and now here we are at home, and I have not a word from either of you. I am you have not been so well as I have, and I can't Willis out of my head. I think we shall have a wedding soon in the family."
Janet out laughing, and Rose to cry; and then they parts, Janet cried, and Rose laughed, while Mrs. Hopkinson, in her chair, and taking off her best bonnet, at them with wonder. But the was out of her hand and on the floor, and the daughters' arms were the mother's neck, she herself to speak, while Janet said:
"Mamma, mamma, you talk of one wedding; what would you say to two more? Indeed, we liked the breakfast, and shall like the of it all our lives; mamma, we are so very happy, if it were not for the of papa and you–Rose is to Mr. Harcourt."
"And Janet to Mr. Greydon," added Rose.
"My dear, dear children," Mrs. Hopkinson, "do stop a minute, I can't these changes. Oh! where is John? He said it would be so, and I it was all nonsense; and so you are engaged, and that dear Mr. Greydon will be our son; such a good man, and we have always looked up to him as something above us. And I shall like Mr. Harcourt, Janet–no, Rose, I mean–quite as much when I know him as well. And, my darlings, I will say that for you, that such good will make excellent wives, and I you will be as happy in your married as I have been. But I wish John would come home; and do, Janet, up my bonnet, I shall want it for the wedding, and then of you and tell me how all this came about, and you may talk at once this time, though I do not like it in general."
They themselves of this permission, and Mrs. Hopkinson from one to the other, sometimes in a of at their prospects, sometimes in a fit of at her own, and she into a reverie, from which she with a smile, saying, "My daughters, Mrs. Greydon and Mrs. Harcourt; well, if that is not droll; I had that you were not children still. Ah! there is John at last, how shall we tell him?"
But there was nothing to tell; he had been by the lovers, not to his surprise, as he had been more than his wife of the of the day, and he walked up to his daughters, and, with much emotion, them on their happy prospects.
"I you," he said to his wife, when the girls had withdrawn, "that those are two as men as I wish to see; I had a against Harcourt on account of that crinkum-crankum that he to sport; but he is so well aware of Rosy's and so of her that, as there is no room for her in that outrigger, I gave my very willingly. He is a fellow. I said that I was they would be in the I give my daughters; and Greydon said that with the excellent Lord Chesterton had him he wanted no more; and then Harcourt took me aside, and said that he I would add to Janet's I meant to give to Rose. 'We shall have of our own.' Harcourt said, 'and Mr. Greydon will do a great of good with the money. It would all go in and with me, which are of no use, though very pleasant.' Altogether, Jane, I think we ought to be very to see our two dear children so well settled."
"Yes, my dear, and I am most thankful, but I was so in all my life. It is all very well for you, John, who are used to be away from them a year at a time; but they are the daily of my life, and I know you will be going to sea again, and then what is to of me?"
"You must go with me, my love"; and there the ended for the present; Mrs. Hopkinson being as nearly selfish and as she was in her life. She was by a visit from Lady Chester, who came prepared to of great results from the fête, and was not disappointed. And she on Mrs. Hopkinson's the sunny of this labyrinth, told her she was the luckiest mother in the world, and out a long of grandchildren, leading but to the possibility of Mrs. Hopkinson's going off to India. In fact, Lady Chester her so that she had a that Captain Hopkinson would not go to sea again that Mrs. Hopkinson ended by her, and gave herself up to be fortunate.
