On its receipt, this letter was greeted in various ways by the four
people who sate round the breakfast-table. Mrs. Gibson read it to
herself first. Then, without telling what its contents were, so that
her auditors were quite in the dark as to what her remarks applied,
she said,--
"I think they might have remembered that I am a generation nearer to
them than she is, but nobody thinks of family affection now-a days;
and I liked him so much, and bought a new cookery-book, all to make
it pleasant and agreeable and what he was used to." She said all this
in a plaintive, aggrieved tone of voice; but as no one knew to what
she was referring, it was difficult to offer her consolation. Her
husband was the first to speak.
"If you want us to sympathize with you, tell us what is the nature of
your woe."
"Why, I daresay it's what he means as a very kind attention, only I
think I ought to have been asked before Cynthia," said she, reading
the letter over again.
"Who's _he_? and what's meant for a 'kind attention'?"
"Mr. Kirkpatrick, to be sure. This letter is from him; and he wants
Cynthia to go and pay them a visit, and never says anything about you
or me, my dear. And I'm sure we did our best to make it pleasant; and
he should have asked us first, I think."
"As I couldn't possibly have gone, it makes very little difference to
me."
"But I could have gone; and, at any rate, he should have paid us
the compliment: it's only a proper mark of respect, you know. So
ungrateful, too, when I gave up my dressing-room on purpose for him!"
"And I dressed for dinner every day he was here, if we are each to
recapitulate all our sacrifices on his behalf. But, for all that, I
didn't expect to be invited to his house. I shall be only too glad if
he will come again to mine."
"I've a great mind not to let Cynthia go," said Mrs. Gibson
reflectively.
"I can't go, mamma," said Cynthia, colouring. "My gowns are all so
shabby, and my old bonnet must do for the summer."
"Well, but you can buy a new one; and I'm sure it is high time you
should get yourself another silk gown. You must have been saving up a
great deal, for I don't know when you've had any new clothes."
Cynthia began to say something, but stopped short. She went on
buttering her toast, but she held it in her hand without eating it;
without looking up either, as, after a minute or two of silence, she
spoke again:--