"No, I didn't," said Annie, obliged by this expectance to say something.
"But to tell you the truth, Mrs. Munger, I don't see how I'm to be of any
use to you or to Mr. Brandreth."
"Oh, take a cab and go about, like Boots and Brewer, you know, for the
Veneerings." She said this as if she knew about the humour rather than felt
it. "We are placing all our hopes of bringing round the Old Hatborians in
you."
"I'm afraid you're mistaken about my influence," said Annie. "Mr. Brandreth
spoke of it, and I had an opportunity of trying it last night, and seeing
just what it amounted to."
"Yes?" Mrs. Munger prompted, with an increase of expectance in her large
clear eyes, and of impartiality in her whole face.
"Mr. Peck was here," said Annie reluctantly, "and I tried it on him."
"Yes?" repeated Mrs. Munger, as immutably as if she were sitting for her
photograph and keeping the expression.
Annie broke from her reluctance with a sort of violence which carried
her further than she would have gone otherwise. She ridiculed Mr. Peck's
appearance and manner, and laughed at his ideas to Mrs. Munger. She had not
a good conscience in it, but the perverse impulse persisted in her. There
seemed no other way in which she could assert herself against him.
Mrs. Munger listened judicially, but she seemed to take in only what Mr.
Peck had thought of the dance and supper; at the end she said, rather
vacantly, "What nonsense!"
"Yes; but I'm afraid he thinks it's wisdom, and for all practical purposes
it amounts to that. You see what my 'influence' has done at the outset,
Mrs. Munger. He'll never give way on such a point."
"Oh, very well, then," said Mrs. Munger, with the utmost lightness and
indifference, "we'll drop the idea of the invited supper and dance."
"Do you think that would be well?" asked Annie.
"Yes; why not? It's only an idea. I don't think you've made at all a bad
beginning. It was very well to try the idea on some one who would be frank
about it, and wouldn't go away and talk against it," said Mrs. Munger,
rising. "I want you to come with me, my dear."
"To see Mr. Peck? Excuse me. I don't think I could," said Annie.
"No; to see some of his parishioners," said Mrs. Munger. "His deacons, to
begin with, or his deacons' wives."