"What is it? may I see it?" asked Molly, stretching out her hand for
the pamphlet, which lay within her reach. But she did not take it
until Cynthia had said--
"Certainly; I don't suppose there are any great secrets in a
scientific journal, full of reports of meetings." And she gave the
book a little push towards Molly.
"Oh, Cynthia!" said Molly, catching her breath as she read, "are
you not proud?" For it was an account of an annual gathering of the
Geographical Society, and Lord Hollingford had read a letter he had
received from Roger Hamley, dated from Arracuoba, a district in
Africa, hitherto unvisited by any intelligent European traveller; and
about which Mr. Hamley sent many curious particulars. The reading of
this letter had been received with the greatest interest, and several
subsequent speakers had paid the writer very high compliments.
But Molly might have known Cynthia better than to expect an answer
responsive to the feelings that prompted her question. Let Cynthia
be ever so proud, ever so glad, or so grateful, or even indignant,
remorseful, grieved or sorry, the very fact that she was expected by
another to entertain any of these emotions, would have been enough to
prevent her expressing them.
"I'm afraid I'm not as much struck by the wonder of the thing as you
are, Molly. Besides, it is not news to me; at least, not entirely.
I heard about the meeting before I left London; it was a good deal
talked about in my uncle's set; to be sure, I didn't hear all the
fine things they say of him there--but then, you know, that's a mere
fashion of speaking, which means nothing; somebody is bound to pay
compliments when a lord takes the trouble to read one of his letters
aloud."
"Nonsense," said Molly. "You know you don't believe what you are
saying, Cynthia."
Cynthia gave that pretty little jerk of her shoulders, which was her
equivalent for a French shrug, but did not lift up her head from her
sewing. Molly began to read the report over again.
"Why, Cynthia!" she said, "you might have been there; ladies were
there. It says 'many ladies were present.' Oh, couldn't you have
managed to go? If your uncle's set cared about these things, wouldn't
some of them have taken you?"
"Perhaps, if I had asked them. But I think they would have been
rather astonished at my sudden turn for science."
"You might have told your uncle how matters really stood, he wouldn't
have talked about it if you had wished him not, I am sure, and he
could have helped you."