"Indeed, Katherine, that is a womanly thought; it does you a vast deal

of credit; and, upon my word, you shall have the gown. I shall be put to

straits without it, to out-dress Miss Betty Lawson; but never mind, I

have a few decent gowns beside it."

"Richard, too, he will like it? You think so, madam?"

"My dear, don't begin to quote Richard to me. I shall be impatient if

you do. I assure you I have never considered him a prodigy." Then,

kissing her fondly, "Madam Katherine Hyde, my entire service to you.

Pray be sure I shall give your husband my best concern. And now I think

you can walk out of the door without much notice; there is a crowd on

the street, and every one is busy about their own appearance or

affairs."

"The time, madam? What is the hour?"

"Indeed, I think it is much after four o'clock. Half an hour hence, you

will have to bring out your excuses. I shall wish for a little devil at

your elbow to help them out. Indeed, I am vastly troubled for you."

"Her excuses" Katherine had not suffered herself to consider. She could

not bear to shadow the present with the future. She had, indeed, a happy

faculty of leaving her emergencies to take care of themselves; and

perhaps wiser people than Katherine might, with advantage, trust less to

their own planning and foresight, and more to that inscrutable power

which we call chance, but which so often arranges favourably the events

apparently very unfavourable. For, at the best, foresight has but

probabilities to work with; but chance, whose tools we know not, very

often contradicts all our bad prophecies, and untangles untoward events

far beyond our best prudence or wisdom. And Katharine was so happy. She

was really Richard's wife; and on that solid vantage-ground she felt

able to beat off trouble, and to defend her own and his rights.

"So much better you look, Katherine," said Madam Van Heemskirk. "Where

have you been all the day? And did you see Mary Blankaart? And the

money, is it found yet?"

The family were at the supper-table; and Joris looked kindly at his

truant daughter, and motioned to the vacant chair at his side. She

slipped into it, touching her father's cheek as she passed; and then she

answered, "At Mary Blankaart's I was not at all, mother."

"Where, then?"

"To Margaret Pitt's I went first, and with Mrs. Gordon I have been all

the day. She is lodging with Mrs. Lanier, on Pearl Street."




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