"Mr. Roger Hamley has been very good to me; he was a great deal at
home when I was there, and Mr. Osborne Hamley was very little there:
that was the reason I spoke so much more of one than the other. If I
had--if he had,"--losing her coherence in the difficulty of finding
words,--"I don't think I should,--oh, Cynthia, instead of laughing at
me, I think you might help me to explain myself!"
Instead, Cynthia gave a diversion to the conversation.
"Mamma's paragon gives me an idea of weakness. I can't quite make out
whether it's in body or mind. Which is it, Molly?"
"He is not strong, I know; but he's very accomplished and clever.
Every one says that,--even papa, who doesn't generally praise young
men. That made the puzzle the greater when he did so badly at
college."
"Then it's his character that is weak. I'm sure there's weakness
somewhere; but he's very agreeable. It must have been very pleasant,
staying at the Hall."
"Yes; but it's all over now."
"Oh, nonsense!" said Mrs. Gibson, wakening up from counting the
stitches in her pattern. "We shall have the young men coming to
dinner pretty often, you'll see. Your father likes them, and I shall
always make a point of welcoming his friends. They can't go on
mourning for a mother for ever. I expect we shall see a great deal of
them; and that the two families will become very intimate. After all,
these good Hollingford people are terribly behindhand, and I should
say, rather commonplace."