The Clever Woman of the Family

Mr. Mauleverer had brought a large packet of letters with him, in all

manner of hands. There were some testimonials from a German university,

and letters from German professors in a compromise between English and

German hand, looking impossible to read, also the neat writing and thin

wavy water-marked paper of American professors and philanthropists in

high commendation of his ability and his scheme, and a few others that

he said were of too private a nature to do more than show Miss Curtis

in confidence, but on which she recognised some distinguished names of

persons interested in Social Science. She would not wound his feelings

by too close an inquiry, but she felt armed at all points against

cavillers. Really, she began to think, it was a great pity Colonel Keith

should cross her path again, she had so much on her hands that it would

be a public misfortune if any one man's private domestic love should

monopolize her; and yet, such was this foolish world, the Honourable

Mrs. Colin Keith would be a more esteemed lady patroness than Miss

Rachel Curtis, though the Curtises had been lords of the soil for many

generations, and Colonel Keith was a mere soldier of fortune.

One disappointment Rachel had, namely, that Mr. Mauleverer announced

that he was about to return to St. Herbert's, the very large and

fashionable watering-place in the next indentation of the coast. He had

duties there, he said, and he had only come to Avonmouth for a brief

holiday, a holiday that was to result in such happy effects. He lived in

an exceedingly retired way, he said, being desirous of saving his small

private means for his great object, and he gave Rachel his address at

the chief printseller's of the place, where his letters were left

for him, while he made excursions from time to time to study the

picturesque, and to give lectures on behalf of philanthropical subjects.

He offered such a lecture at Avonmouth, but Mr. Touchett would not

lend either school-room, and space was nowhere else available. In

the meantime a prospectus was drawn up, which Rachel undertook to get

printed at Villars's, and to send about to all her friends, since a

subscription in hand was the first desideratum.

Never since she had grown up to be a thinking woman had Rachel been so

happy as with this outlet to her activity and powers of managing, "the

good time coming at last." Eagerly she claimed sympathy, names and

subscriptions. Her own immediate circle was always easily under her

influence, and Lady Temple, and Mrs. Curtis supplied the dignity of lady

patronesses; Bessie Keith was immensely diverted at the development of

"that landscape painter," and took every opportunity of impressing on

Rachel that all was the result of her summons to the rescue. Ermine

wished Rachel had found out who was the bishop's chaplain who rejected

him, but allowed that it would have been an awkward question to ask, and

also she wondered if he were a university man; but Mr. Touchett had been

at a Hall, and never knew anybody, besides being so firmly convinced

that Mr. Mauleverer was a pestiferous heretic, that no one, except Lady

Temple, could have obtained a patient answer from him on that head--and

even with her he went the length of a regret that she had given the

sanction of her name to an undertaking by a person of whose history and

principles nothing satisfactory was known. "Oh!" said Fanny, with her

sweet look of asking pardon, "I am so sorry you think so; Rachel wished

it so much, and it seems such a nice thing for the poor children."