"Why, my sweet Molly, this is an unexpected pleasure. Only this
morning I said to papa, 'When do you think we shall see our Molly
back?' He did not say much--he never does, you know; but I am sure he
thought directly of giving me this surprise, this pleasure. You're
looking a little--what shall I call it? I remember such a pretty line
of poetry, 'Oh, call her fair, not pale!'--so we'll call you fair."
"You'd better not call her anything, but let her get to her own room
and have a good rest as soon as possible. Haven't you got a trashy
novel or two in the house? That's the literature to send her to
sleep."
He did not leave her till he had seen her laid on a sofa in a
darkened room, with some slight pretence of reading in her hand. Then
he came away, leading his wife, who turned round at the door to kiss
her hand to Molly, and make a little face of unwillingness to be
dragged away.
"Now, Hyacinth," said he, as he took his wife into the drawing-room,
"she will need much care. She has been overworked, and I've been a
fool. That's all. We must keep her from all worry and care,--but I
won't answer for it that she'll not have an illness, for all that!"
"Poor thing! she does look worn out. She is something like me, her
feelings are too much for her. But now she is come home she shall
find us as cheerful as possible. I can answer for myself; and you
really must brighten up your doleful face, my dear--nothing so
bad for invalids as the appearance of depression in those around
them. I have had such a pleasant letter from Cynthia to-day. Uncle
Kirkpatrick really seems to make so much of her, he treats her just
like a daughter; he has given her a ticket to the Concerts of Ancient
Music; and Mr. Henderson has been to call on her, in spite of all
that has gone before."
For an instant, Mr. Gibson thought that it was easy enough for
his wife to be cheerful, with the pleasant thoughts and evident
anticipations she had in her mind, but a little more difficult for
him to put off his doleful looks while his own child lay in a state
of suffering and illness which might be the precursor of a still
worse malady. But he was always a man for immediate action as soon
as he had resolved on the course to be taken; and he knew that "some
must watch, while some must sleep; so runs the world away."