"And you shall have a respectable Sunday mantle."
"Oh, I dare say Julia will send us a box."
"Then you will have to put a label on your back, 'Second-hand!' or
her velvet will be a scandal. I can't wear out that at home like this
flagrant, flowery thing, that I saw Miss Curtis looking at as rather
a disreputable article. There's preferment for you, Ailie! What do you
think of a general's widow with six boys? She is come after you. We
had a great invasion--three Curtises and this pretty little widow, and
various sons!"
"Will she stay?"
"Most likely, for she is a relation of Mrs. Curtis, and comes to be near
her. You are to call for inspection at eleven o'clock tomorrow, so I
fear your holiday will be short."
"Well, the less play the less anxiety. How many drives will the six
young gentlemen be worth to you?"
"I am afraid it will be at the cost of tough work to you; she looked to
me too sweet a creature to have broken her sons in, but I should think
she would be pleasant to deal with."
"If she be like Miss Curtis, I am sure she will."
"Miss Curtis? My old friend you mean. She was rather suppressed today,
and I began to comprehend the reason of the shudder with which Mr.
Touchett speaks of the dogmatical young lady."
"I hope she did not overwhelm you!"
"Oh, no! I rather liked her; she was so earnest and spirited, I could
fancy enjoying a good passage at arms with her if these were old times.
But I hope she will not take the direction of your school-room, though
she is an admirer of the educational papers in the 'Traveller.'"
And here the discussion was ended by the entrance of little Rose with
the preliminaries of the evening meal, after which she went to bed, and
the aunts took out books, work, and writing materials.
Alison's report the next day was--"Well, she is a very sweet creature.
There is something indescribably touching in her voice and eyes, so soft
and wistful, especially when she implores one not to be hard on those
great scrambling boys of hers."
"So she is your fate?"
"Oh, yes, if there had been ten more engagements offered, I could not
have helped accepting hers, even if it had not been on the best terms I
have ever had."
"What?"
"Seventy--for the hours between nine and five. Pretty well for a
journeyman hack, is it not? Indeed, the pretty thing's only fear seemed
to be that she was requiring too much, and offering too little. No, not
her only fear, for there is some major in the distance to whose approval
everything must be subject--uncle or guardian, I suppose, but he seemed
to be rather an object of jealousy to the younger Miss Curtis, for
every hint of wishing to wait for the Major made her press on the
negotiations."