"I saw him take her away alone into the rose-garden," says Penelope.

"And I waited behind the holly to see how they came back. They had gone

out arm-in-arm, both laughing. They came back, walking separate, as

grave as grave could be, and looking straight away from each other in a

manner which there was no mistaking. I never was more delighted, father,

in my life! There's one woman in the world who can resist Mr. Godfrey

Ablewhite, at any rate; and, if I was a lady, I should be another!"

Here I should have protested again. But my daughter had got the

hair-brush by this time, and the whole strength of her feelings

had passed into THAT. If you are bald, you will understand how she

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sacrificed me. If you are not, skip this bit, and thank God you have got

something in the way of a defence between your hair-brush and your head.

"Just on the other side of the holly," Penelope went on, "Mr. Godfrey

came to a standstill. 'You prefer,' says he, 'that I should stop here as

if nothing had happened?' Miss Rachel turned on him like lightning. 'You

have accepted my mother's invitation,' she said; 'and you are here to

meet her guests. Unless you wish to make a scandal in the house, you

will remain, of course!' She went on a few steps, and then seemed to

relent a little. 'Let us forget what has passed, Godfrey,' she said,

'and let us remain cousins still.' She gave him her hand. He kissed it,

which I should have considered taking a liberty, and then she left him.

He waited a little by himself, with his head down, and his heel grinding

a hole slowly in the gravel walk; you never saw a man look more put out

in your life. 'Awkward!' he said between his teeth, when he looked up,

and went on to the house--'very awkward!' If that was his opinion of

himself, he was quite right. Awkward enough, I'm sure. And the end of it

is, father, what I told you all along," cries Penelope, finishing me off

with a last scarification, the hottest of all. "Mr. Franklin's the man!"

I got possession of the hair-brush, and opened my lips to administer the

reproof which, you will own, my daughter's language and conduct richly

deserved.

Before I could say a word, the crash of carriage-wheels outside struck

in, and stopped me. The first of the dinner-company had come. Penelope

instantly ran off. I put on my coat, and looked in the glass. My head

was as red as a lobster; but, in other respects, I was as nicely dressed

for the ceremonies of the evening as a man need be. I got into the hall

just in time to announce the two first of the guests. You needn't feel

particularly interested about them. Only the philanthropist's father and

mother--Mr. and Mrs. Ablewhite.




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