sothecarriagewillhavetogobackwardsandforwardsfourtimesnowtofetchthemall。Soyourdaughtercancomequiteeasily，Mr。Gibson，andIshallbeverygladtoseeherforyoursake。ShecansitbodkinwiththeBrownings，Isuppose？You’llarrangeitallwiththem；andmindyougetNannywelluptoherworknextweek。’JustasMr。Gibsonwasgoingaway，LadyCumnorcalledafterhim，’Oh！by—the—bye，Clareishere；yourememberClare，don’tyou？Shewasapatientofyours，longago。’’Clare！’herepeated，inabewilderedtone。’Don’tyourecollecther？MissClare，ouroldgoverness，’saidLadyAgnes。

　　’Abouttwelveorfourteenyearsago，beforeLadyCuxhavenwasmarried。’’Oh，yes！’saidhe。’MissClare，whohadthescarletfeverhere；averyprettydelicategirl。ButIthoughtshewasmarried！’’Yes！’saidLadyCumnor。’Shewasasillylittlething，anddidnotknowwhenshewaswelloff；wewereallveryfondofher，I’msure。Shewentandmarriedapoorcurate，andbecameastupidMrs。Kirkpatrick；butwealwayskeptoncallingher’Clare。’Andnowhe’sdead，andleftherawidow，andsheisstayinghere；andwearerackingourbrainstofindoutsomewayofhelpinghertoalivelihoodwithoutpartingherfromherchild。

　　She’ssomewhereaboutthegrounds，ifyouliketorenewyouracquaintancewithher。’’Thankyou，mylady。I’mafraidIcannotstopto—day。Ihavealongroundtogo；I’vestayedheretoolongasitis，I’mafraid。’Longashisridehadbeenthatday，hecalledontheMissBrowningsintheevening，toarrangeaboutMolly’saccompanyingthemtotheTowers。

　　Theyweretallhandsomewomen，pasttheirfirstyouth，andinclinedtobeextremelycomplaisanttothewidoweddoctor。’Ehdear！Mr。Gibson，butweshallhedelightedtohaveherwithus。Youshouldneverhavethoughtofaskingussuchathing，’saidMissBrowningtheelder。’I’msureI’mhardlysleepingatnightsforthinkingofit，’saidMissPhoebe。’YouknowI’veneverbeentherebefore。Sisterhasmanyatime；

　　butsomehow，thoughmynamehasbeendownonthevisitors’listthesethreeyears，thecountesshasnevernamedmeinhernote；andyouknowIcouldnotpushmyselfintonotice，andgotosuchagrandplacewithoutbeingasked；howcouldI？’’ItoldPhoebelastyear，’saidhersister，’thatIwassureitwasonlyinadvertence，asonemaycallit，onthepartofthecountess，andthatherladyshipwouldbeashurtasanyonewhenshedidn’tseePhoebeamongtheschoolvisitors；butPhoebehasgotadelicatemind，youseeMr。Gibson，andforallIcouldsayshewouldn’tgo，butstoppedhereathome；anditspoiltallmypleasureallthatday，Idoassureyou，tothinkofPhoebe’sface，asIsawitoverthewindow—blinds，asIrodeaway；hereyeswerefulloftears，ifyou’llbelieveme。’’Ihadagoodcryalteryouwasgone，Sally，’saidMissPhoebe；’butforallthat，IthinkIwasrightinstoppingawayfromwhereIwasnotasked。

......

购买会员看全站小说，或者下载APP免费观看所有作品 点击立即下载，搜索"WIVES AND DAUGHTERS",免费读到尾