"The counterfeit presentment."--Hamlet.
Christmas came, and Rachel agreed with Mr. Mauleverer that it was better
not to unsettle the children at the F. U. E. E. by permitting them to
come home for holidays, a decision which produced much discontent in
their respective families. Alison, going to Mrs. Morris with her pupils,
to take her a share of Christmas good cheer, was made the receptacle of
a great lamentation over the child's absence; and, moreover, that the
mother had not been allowed to see her alone, when taken by Miss Rachel
to the F. U. E. E.
"Some one ought to take it up," said Alison, as she came home, in her
indignation. "Who knows what may be done to those poor children? Can't
Mr. Mitchell do something?"
But Mr. Mitchell was not sufficiently at home to interfere. He was
indeed negotiating an exchange with Mr. Touchett, but until this was
effected he could hardly meddle in the matter, and he was besides
a reserved, prudent man, slow to commit himself, so that his own
impression of the asylum could not be extracted from him. Here, however,
Colonel Keith put himself forward. He had often been asked by Rachel
to visit the F. U. E. E., and he surprised and relieved Alison by
announcing his intention of going over to St. Norbert's alone and
without notice, so as to satisfy himself as far as might be as to
the treatment of the inmates, and the genuineness of Mauleverer's
pretensions. He had, however, to wait for weather that would not make
the adventure one of danger to him, and he regarded the cold and rain
with unusual impatience, until, near the end of January, he was able to
undertake his expedition.
After much knocking and ringing the door was opened to him by a rude,
slatternly, half-witted looking charwoman, or rather girl, who said
"Master was not in," and nearly shut the door in his face. However, he
succeeded in sending in his card, backed by the mention of Lady Temple
and Miss Curtis; and this brought out Mrs. Rawlins, her white streamers
floating stiff behind her, full of curtsies and regrets at having to
refuse any friend of Miss Curtis, but Mr. Mauleverer's orders were
precise and could not be infringed. He was gone to lecture at Bristol,
but if the gentleman would call at any hour he would fix to morrow or
next day, Mr. Mauleverer would be proud to wait on him.
When he came at the appointed time, all was in the normal state of the
institution. The two little girls in white pinafores sat upon their
bench with their books before them, and their matron presiding over
them; Mr. Mauleverer stood near, benignantly attentive to the children
and obligingly so to the visitor, volunteering information and answering
all questions. Colonel Keith tried to talk to the children, but when he
asked one of them whether she liked drawing better than lace-making
her lips quivered, and Mrs. Rawlins replied for her, that she was never
happy except with a pencil in her hand. "Show the gentleman, my dear,"
and out came a book of studios of cubes, globes, posts, etc., while Mr.
Mauleverer talked artistically of drawing from models. Next, he observed
on a certain suspicious blackness of little Mary's eye, and asked her
what she had done to herself. But the child hung her head, and Mrs.
Rawlins answered for her, "Ah! Mary is ashamed to tell: but the
gentleman will think nothing of it, my dear. He knows that children will
be children, and I cannot bear to check them, the dears."