Sylvia's Lovers

They had been prepared to be critical on one who had interfered with

their favourite project of a marriage between Philip and Hester;

and, though full of compassion for the cruelty of Daniel Robson's

fate, they were too completely men of business not to have some

apprehension that the connection of Philip Hepburn with the daughter

of a man who was hanged, might injure the shop over which both his

and their name appeared. But all the possible proprieties demanded

that they should pay attention to the bride of their former shopman

and present successor; and the very first visitors whom Sylvia had

received after her marriage had been John and Jeremiah Foster, in

their sabbath-day clothes. They found her in the parlour (so

familiar to both of them!) clear-starching her mother's caps, which

had to be got up in some particular fashion that Sylvia was afraid

of dictating to Phoebe.

She was a little disturbed at her visitors discovering her at this

employment; but she was on her own ground, and that gave her

self-possession; and she welcomed the two old men so sweetly and

modestly, and looked so pretty and feminine, and, besides, so

notable in her handiwork, that she conquered all their prejudices at

one blow; and their first thought on leaving the shop was how to do

her honour, by inviting her to a supper party at Jeremiah Foster's

house.

Sylvia was dismayed when she was bidden to this wedding feast, and

Philip had to use all his authority, though tenderly, to make her

consent to go at all. She had been to merry country parties like the

Corneys', and to bright haymaking romps in the open air; but never

to a set stately party at a friend's house.

She would fain have made attendance on her mother an excuse; but

Philip knew he must not listen to any such plea, and applied to

Hester in the dilemma, asking her to remain with Mrs. Robson while he

and Sylvia went out visiting; and Hester had willingly, nay, eagerly

consented--it was much more to her taste than going out.

So Philip and Sylvia set out, arm-in-arm, down Bridge Street, across

the bridge, and then clambered up the hill. On the way he gave her

the directions she asked for about her behaviour as bride and most

honoured guest; and altogether succeeded, against his intention and

will, in frightening her so completely as to the grandeur and

importance of the occasion, and the necessity of remembering certain

set rules, and making certain set speeches and attending to them

when the right time came, that, if any one so naturally graceful

could have been awkward, Sylvia would have been so that night.

As it was, she sate, pale and weary-looking, on the very edge of her

chair; she uttered the formal words which Philip had told her were

appropriate to the occasion, and she heartily wished herself safe at

home and in bed. Yet she left but one unanimous impression on the

company when she went away, namely, that she was the prettiest and

best-behaved woman they had ever seen, and that Philip Hepburn had

done well in choosing her, felon's daughter though she might be.