John Smith,staggered in mind,went out of doors and looked over the garden gate,to collect his ideas.He had not been there two minutes when wheels were heard,and a carriage and pair rolled along the road.A distinguished-looking lady,with the demeanour of a duchess,reclined within.When opposite Smiths gate she turned her head,and instantly commanded the coachman to stop.
Ah,Mr.Smith,I am glad to see you looking so well.I could not help stopping a moment to congratulate you and Mrs.Smith upon the happiness you must enjoy.Joseph,you may drive on.
And the carriage rolled away towards St.Launces.
Out rushed Mrs.Smith from behind a laurel-bush,where she had stood pondering.
Just going to touch my hat to her,said John;just for all the world as I would have to poor Lady Luxellian years ago.
Lord!who is she?
The public-house woman--whats her name?Mrs.--Mrs.--at the Falcon.
Public-house woman.The clumsiness of the Smith family!You MIGHT say the landlady of the Falcon Hotel,since we are in for politeness.The people are ridiculous enough,but give them their due.
The possibility is that Mrs.Smith was getting mollified,in spite of herself,by these remarkably friendly phenomena among the people of St.Launces.And in justice to them it was quite desirable that she should do so.The interest which the unpractised ones of this town expressed so grotesquely was genuine of its kind,and equal in intrinsic worth to the more polished smiles of larger communities.
By this time Mr.and Mrs.Trewen were returning from the garden.
Ill ask em flat,whispered John to his wife.Ill say,"We be in a fog--youll excuse my asking a question,Mr.and Mrs.
Trewen.How is it you all be so friendly to-day?"Hey?Twould sound right and sensible,wouldnt it?
Not a word!Good mercy,when will the man have manners!
It must be a proud moment for you,I am sure,Mr.and Mrs.Smith,to have a son so celebrated,said the bank-manager advancing.
Ah,tis Stephen--I knew it!said Mrs.Smith triumphantly to herself.
We dont know particulars,said John.
Not know!
No.
Why,tis all over town.Our worthy Mayor alluded to it in a speech at the dinner last night of the Every-Man-his-own-Maker Club.
And what about Stephen?urged Mrs.Smith.
Why,your son has been feted by deputy-governors and Parsee princes and nobody-knows-who in India;is hand in glove with nabobs,and is to design a large palace,and cathedral,and hospitals,colleges,halls,and fortifications,by the general consent of the ruling powers,Christian and Pagan alike.
Twas sure to come to the boy,said Mr.Smith unassumingly.
Tis in yesterdays St.Launces Chronicle;and our worthy Mayor in the chair introduced the subject into his speech last night in a masterly manner.
Twas very good of the worthy Mayor in the chair Im sure,said Stephens mother.I hope the boy will have the sense to keep what hes got;but as for men,they are a ****** ***.Some woman will hook him.
Well,Mr.and Mrs.Smith,the evening closes in,and we must be going;and remember this,that every Saturday when you come in to market,you are to make our house as your own.There will be always a tea-cup and saucer for you,as you know there has been for months,though you may have forgotten it.Im a plain-speaking woman,and what I say I mean.
When the visitors were gone,and the sun had set,and the moons rays were just beginning to assert themselves upon the walls of the dwelling,John Smith and his wife sat dawn to the newspaper they had hastily procured from the town.And when the reading was done,they considered how best to meet the new social requirements settling upon them,which Mrs.Smith considered could be done by new furniture and house enlargement alone.
And,John,mind one thing,she said in conclusion.In writing to Stephen,never by any means mention the name of Elfride Swancourt again.Weve left the place,and know no more about her except by hearsay.He seems to be getting free of her,and glad am I for it.It was a cloudy hour for him when he first set eyes upon the girl.That familys been no good to him,first or last;
so let them keep their blood to themselves if they want to.He thinks of her,I know,but not so hopelessly.So dont try to know anything about her,and we cant answer his questions.She may die out of his mind then.
That shall be it,said John.