Miss Mackenzie. Anthony Trollope

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СКАЧАТЬ rose from her chair with a large and completely filled bowl of tea, with a plate also laden with buttered toast, and with her own hands and on her own legs carried these delicacies round to her papa. On such an occasion as this no servant, no friend, no Mr. Startup, was allowed to interfere with her filial piety.

      "She does it always," said an admiring lady in an audible whisper from the other side of Miss Baker. "She does it always."

      The admiring lady was the wife of a retired coachbuilder, who was painfully anxious to make her way into good evangelical society at Littlebath.

      "Perhaps you will put in the sugar for yourself," said Mrs. Stumfold to Miss Mackenzie as soon as she returned. On this occasion Miss Mackenzie received her cup the first after the father of the house, but the words spoken to her were stern to the ear.

      "Perhaps you will put in the sugar yourself. It lightens the labour."

      Miss Mackenzie expressed her willingness to do so and regretted that Mrs. Stumfold should have to work so hard. Could she be of assistance?

      "I'm quite used to it, thank you," said Mrs. Stumfold.

      The words were not uncivil, but the tone was dreadfully severe, and Miss Mackenzie felt painfully sure that her hostess was already aware of the card that had been left at Miss Todd's door.

      Mr. Startup was now actively at work.

      "Lady Griggs's and Miss Fleebody's—I know. A great deal of sugar for her ladyship, and Miss Fleebody eats muffin. Mrs. Blow always takes pound-cake, and I'll see that there's one near her. Mortimer,"—Mortimer was the footman—"is getting more bread and butter. Maguire, you have two dishes of sweet biscuits over there; give us one here. Never mind me, Mrs. Stumfold; I'll have my innings presently."

      All this Mr. Frigidy heard with envious ears as he sat with his own tea-cup before him at the other table. He would have given the world to have been walking about the room like Startup, making himself useful and conspicuous; but he couldn't do it—he knew that he couldn't do it. Later in the evening, when he had been sitting by Miss Trotter for two hours—and he had very often sat by Miss Trotter before—he ventured upon a remark.

      "Don't you think that Mr. Startup makes himself a little forward?"

      "Oh dear yes, very," said Miss Trotter. "I believe he's an excellent young man, but I always did think him forward, now you mention it. And sometimes I've wondered how dear Mrs. Stumfold could like so much of it. But do you know, Mr. Frigidy, I am not quite sure that somebody else does like it. You know who I mean."

      Miss Trotter said much more than this, and Mr. Frigidy was comforted, and believed that he had been talking.

      When Mrs. Stumfold commenced her conversation with Mr. Startup, Miss Baker addressed herself to Miss Mackenzie; but there was at first something of stiffness in her manner—as became a lady whose call had not been returned.

      "I hope you like Littlebath," said Miss Baker.

      Miss Mackenzie, who began to be conscious that she had done wrong, hesitated as she replied that she liked it pretty well.

      "I think you'll find it pleasant," said Miss Baker; and then there was a pause. There could not be two women more fitted for friendship than were these, and it was much to be hoped, for the sake of our poor, solitary heroine especially, that this outside crust of manner might be broken up and dispersed.

      "I dare say I shall find it pleasant, after a time," said Miss Mackenzie. Then they applied themselves each to her own bread and butter.

      "You have not seen Miss Todd, I suppose, since I saw you?" Miss Baker asked this question when she perceived that Mrs. Stumfold was deep in some secret conference with Mr. Startup. It must, however, be told to Miss Baker's credit, that she had persistently maintained her friendship with Miss Todd, in spite of all the Stumfoldian influences. Miss Mackenzie, at the moment less brave, looked round aghast, but seeing that her hostess was in deep conference with her prime minister, she took heart of grace. "I called, and I did not see her."

      "She promised me she would call," said Miss Baker.

      "And I returned her visit, but she wasn't at home," said Miss Mackenzie.

      "Indeed," said Miss Baker; and then there was silence between them again.

      But, after a pause, Miss Mackenzie again took heart of grace. I do not think that there was, of nature, much of the coward about her. Indeed, the very fact that she was there alone at Littlebath, fighting her own battle with the world, instead of having allowed herself to be swallowed up by the Harry Handcocks, and Tom Mackenzies, proved her to be anything but a coward. "Perhaps, Miss Baker, I ought to have returned your visit," said she.

      "That was just as you like," said Miss Baker with her sweetest smile.

      "Of course, I should have liked it, as I thought it so good of you to come. But as you came with Mrs. Stumfold, I was not quite sure whether it might be intended; and then I didn't know—did not exactly know—where you lived."

      After this the two ladies got on very comfortably, so long as they were left sitting side by side. Miss Baker imparted to Miss Mackenzie her full address, and Miss Mackenzie, with that brightness in her eyes which they always assumed when she was eager, begged her new friend to come to her again.

      "Indeed, I will," said Miss Baker. After that they were parted by a general return to the front room.

      And now Miss Mackenzie found herself seated next to Mr. Maguire. She had been carried away in the crowd to a further corner, in which there were two chairs, and before she had been able to consider the merits or demerits of the position, Mr. Maguire was seated close beside her. He was seated close beside her in such a way as to make the two specially separated from all the world beyond, for in front of them stood a wall of crinoline—a wall of crinoline divided between four or five owners, among whom was shared the eloquence of Mr. Startup, who was carrying on an evangelical flirtation with the whole of them in a manner that was greatly pleasing to them, and enthusiastically delightful to him. Miss Mackenzie, when she found herself thus entrapped, looked into Mr. Maguire's eye with dismay. Had that look been sure to bring down upon her the hatred of that reverend gentleman, she could not have helped it. The eye fascinated her, as much as it frightened her. But Mr. Maguire was used to have his eye inspected, and did not hate her. He fixed it apparently on the corners of the wall, but in truth upon her, and then he began:

      "I am so glad that you have come among us, Miss Mackenzie."

      "I'm sure that I'm very much obliged."

      "Well; you ought to be. You must not be surprised at my saying so, though it sounds uncivil. You ought to feel obliged, and the obligation should be mutual. I am not sure, that when all things are considered, you could find yourself in any better place in England, than in the drawing-room of my friend Stumfold; and, if you will allow me to say so, my friend Stumfold could hardly use his drawing-room better, than by entertaining you."

      "Mr. Stumfold is very good, and so is she."

      "Mr. Stumfold is very good; and as for Mrs. Stumfold, I look upon her as a very wonderful woman—quite a wonderful woman. For grasp of intellect, for depth of thought, for tenderness of sentiment—perhaps you mightn't have expected that, but there it is—for tenderness of sentiment, for strength of faith, for purity of life, for genial hospitality, and all the domestic duties, Mrs. Stumfold has no equal in Littlebath, and perhaps few superiors СКАЧАТЬ