She was in the same humour in the evening. I discovered in one of my
friend's precious publications--the Life, Letters, and Labours of Miss
Jane Ann Stamper, forty-fourth edition--passages which bore with
a marvellous appropriateness on Rachel's present position. Upon my
proposing to read them, she went to the piano. Conceive how little she
must have known of serious people, if she supposed that my patience was
to be exhausted in that way! I kept Miss Jane Ann Stamper by me, and
waited for events with the most unfaltering trust in the future.
Old Mr. Ablewhite never made his appearance that night. But I knew the
importance which his worldly greed attached to his son's marriage with
Miss Verinder--and I felt a positive conviction (do what Mr. Godfrey
might to prevent it) that we should see him the next day. With his
interference in the matter, the storm on which I had counted would
certainly come, and the salutary exhaustion of Rachel's resisting powers
would as certainly follow. I am not ignorant that old Mr. Ablewhite has
the reputation generally (especially among his inferiors) of being a
remarkably good-natured man. According to my observation of him, he
deserves his reputation as long as he has his own way, and not a moment
longer.
The next day, exactly as I had foreseen, Aunt Ablewhite was as near to
being astonished as her nature would permit, by the sudden appearance
of her husband. He had barely been a minute in the house, before he was
followed, to MY astonishment this time, by an unexpected complication in
the shape of Mr. Bruff.
I never remember feeling the presence of the lawyer to be more unwelcome
than I felt it at that moment. He looked ready for anything in the way
of an obstructive proceeding--capable even of keeping the peace with
Rachel for one of the combatants!
"This is a pleasant surprise, sir," said Mr. Ablewhite, addressing
himself with his deceptive cordiality to Mr. Bruff. "When I left your
office yesterday, I didn't expect to have the honour of seeing you at
Brighton to-day."
"I turned over our conversation in my mind, after you had gone," replied
Mr. Bruff. "And it occurred to me that I might perhaps be of some use
on this occasion. I was just in time to catch the train, and I had no
opportunity of discovering the carriage in which you were travelling."
Having given that explanation, he seated himself by Rachel. I retired
modestly to a corner--with Miss Jane Ann Stamper on my lap, in case of
emergency. My aunt sat at the window; placidly fanning herself as usual.
Mr. Ablewhite stood up in the middle of the room, with his bald head
much pinker than I had ever seen it yet, and addressed himself in the
most affectionate manner to his niece.