"I know no one less likely to marry again," he continued, "yet no one of
whom the world is so unlikely to believe it. Her very gentle simplicity
and tenderness tell against her! Well, the only hope now is that the
poor man has not made his disappointment conspicuous enough for her to
know that it is attributed to her. It is the beginning of the fulfilment
of Keith's prediction that offers and reports will harass her into the
deed!"
"There is nothing so fallacious as prophecies against second marriages,
but I don't believe they will. She is too quietly dignified for the full
brunt of reports to reach her, and too much concentrated on her children
to care about them."
"Well, I have to see her to-morrow to make her sign some papers about
her pension, so I shall perhaps find out how she takes it."
He found Fanny quite her gentle composed self, as usual uncomprehending
and helpless about her business affairs, and throwing the whole
burthen on him of deciding on her investments; but in such a gracious,
dependent, grateful way that he could not but take pleasure in the
office, and had no heart for the lesson he had been meditating on the
need of learning to act for herself, if she wished to do without a
protector. It was not till she had obediently written her "Frances
Grace Temple" wherever her prime minister directed, that she said with a
crimson blush, "Is it true that poor Mr. Touchett is going away for the
winter?"
"I believe he is even going before Sunday."
"I am very glad--I mean I am very sorry. Do you think any one knows why
it is?"
"Very few are intimate enough to guess, and those who are, know you too
well to think it was otherwise than very foolish on his part."
"I don't know," said Fanny, "I think I must have been foolish too, or he
never could have thought of it. And I was so sorry for him, he seemed so
much distressed."
"I do not wonder at that, when he had once allowed himself to admit the
thought."
"Yes, that is the thing. I am afraid I can't be what I ought to be, or
people would never think of such nonsense," said Fanny, with large tears
welling into her eyes. "I can't be guarding that dear memory as I ought,
to have two such things happening so soon."
"Perhaps they have made you cherish it all the more."
"As if I wanted that! Please will you tell me how I could have been more
guarded. I don't mind your knowing about this; indeed you ought, for Sir
Stephen trusted me to you, but I can't ask my aunt or any one else. I
can't talk about it, and I would not have them know that Sir Stephen's
wife can't get his memory more respected."