tohiscredit,ifhedid.MissHarvilleonlydiedlastJune.Suchaheartisverylittleworthhavingisit,LadyRussell?Iamsureyouwillagreewithme.”
“ImustseeCaptainBenwickbeforeIdecide,”saidLadyRussell,smiling.
“Andthatyouareverylikelytodoverysoon,Icantellyou,ma’am,”saidCharles.“Thoughhehadnotnervesforcomingawaywithus,andsettingoffagainafterwardstopayaformalvisithere,hewillmakehiswayovertoKellynchonedaybyhimself,youmaydependonit.Itoldhimthedistanceandtheroad,andItoldhimofthechurch’sbeingsoverywellworthseeingforashehasatasteforthosesortofthings,Ithoughtthatwouldbeagoodexcuse,andhelistenedwithallhisunderstandingandsoulandIamsurefromhismannerthatyouwillhavehimcallingheresoon.So,Igiveyounotice,LadyRussell.”
“AnyacquaintanceofAnne’swillalwaysbewelcometome,”wasLadyRussell’skindanswer.
“Oh!astobeingAnne’sacquaintance,”saidMary,“Ithinkheisrathermyacquaintance,forIhavebeenseeinghimeverydaythislastfortnight.”
“Well,asyourjointacquaintance,then,IshallbeveryhappytoseeCaptainBenwick.”
“Youwillnotfindanythingveryagreeableinhim,Iassureyou,ma’am.Heisoneofthedullestyoungmenthateverlived.Hehaswalkedwithme,sometimes,fromoneendofthesandstotheother,withoutsayingaword.Heisnotatallawell-bredyoungman.Iamsureyouwillnotlikehim.”
“Therewediffer,Mary,”saidAnne.“IthinkLadyRussellwouldlikehim.Ithinkshewouldbesomuchpleasedwithhismind,thatshewouldverysoonseenodeficiencyinhismanner.”
“SodoI,Anne,”saidCharles.“IamsureLadyRussellwouldlikehim.HeisjustLadyRussell’ssort.Givehimabook,andhewillreadalldaylong.”
“Yes,thathewill!”exclaimedMary,tauntingly.“Hewillsitporingoverhisbook,andnotknowwhenapersonspeakstohim,orwhenonedropsone’sscissors,oranythingthathappens.DoyouthinkLadyRussellwouldlikethat?”
LadyRussellcouldnothelplaughing.“Uponmyword,”saidshe,“Ishouldnothavesupposedthatmyopinionofanyonecouldhaveadmittedofsuchdifferenceofconjecture,steadyandmatteroffactasImaycallmyself.Ihavereallyacuriositytoseethepersonwhoca