"I didn't know you, even by hearsay. So you mustn't wonder that I was
a little afraid. But as soon as I saw you I knew how it must be; and
it was such a relief!"
"Cynthia," said Mrs. Gibson, who thought that the younger son had had
quite his share of low, confidential conversation, "come here, and
sing that little French ballad to Mr. Osborne Hamley."
"Which do you mean, mamma? 'Tu t'en repentiras, Colin?'"
"Yes; such a pretty, playful little warning to young men," said Mrs.
Gibson, smiling up at Osborne. "The refrain is--
Tu t'en repentiras, Colin,
Tu t'en repentiras,
Car si tu prends une femme, Colin,
Tu t'en repentiras.
The advice may apply very well when there is a French wife in the
case; but not, I am sure, to an Englishman who is thinking of an
English wife."
This choice of a song was exceedingly _mal-àpropos_, had Mrs. Gibson
but known it. Osborne and Roger knowing that the wife of the former
was a Frenchwoman, and, conscious of each other's knowledge, felt
doubly awkward; while Molly was as much confused as though she
herself were secretly married. However, Cynthia carolled the saucy
ditty out, and her mother smiled at it, in total ignorance of any
application it might have. Osborne had instinctively gone to stand
behind Cynthia, as she sate at the piano, so as to be ready to turn
over the leaves of her music if she required it. He kept his hands
in his pockets and his eyes fixed on her fingers; his countenance
clouded with gravity at all the merry quips which she so playfully
sang. Roger looked grave as well, but was much more at his ease than
his brother; indeed, he was half-amused by the awkwardness of the
situation. He caught Molly's troubled eyes and heightened colour, and
he saw that she was feeling this _contretemps_ more seriously than
she needed to do. He moved to a seat by her, and half whispered, "Too
late a warning, is it not?"
Molly looked up at him as he leant towards her, and replied in the
same tone--"Oh, I am so sorry!"
"You need not be. He won't mind it long; and a man must take the
consequences when he puts himself in a false position."
Molly could not tell what to reply to this, so she hung her head
and kept silence. Yet she could see that Roger did not change his
attitude or remove his hand from the back of his chair, and, impelled
by curiosity to find out the cause of his stillness, she looked up at
him at length, and saw his gaze fixed on the two who were near the
piano. Osborne was saying something eagerly to Cynthia, whose grave
eyes were upturned to him with soft intentness of expression, and her
pretty mouth half-open, with a sort of impatience for him to cease
speaking, that she might reply.