第105章

’AndmayIask，ma’am，’retortedMrMeagles，alittleheightenedincolour，’whodoesexpecteverything？’

’Oh，nobody，nobody!’saidMrsGowan。’Iwasgoingtosay——butyouputmeout。YouinterruptingPapa，whatwasIgoingtosay？’

Droopingherlargegreenfan，shelookedmusinglyatMrMeagleswhileshethoughtaboutit；aperformancenottendingtothecoolingofthatgentleman’sratherheatedspirits。

’Ah!Yes，tobesure!’saidMrsGowan。’Youmustrememberthatmypoorfellowhasalwaysbeenaccustomedtoexpectations。Theymayhavebeenrealised，ortheymaynothavebeenrealised——’

’Letussay，then，maynothavebeenrealised，’observedMrMeagles。

TheDowagerforamomentgavehimanangrylook；buttosseditoffwithherheadandherfan，andpursuedthetenorofherwayinherformermanner。

’Itmakesnodifference。Mypoorfellowhasbeenaccustomedtothatsortofthing，andofcourseyouknewit，andwerepreparedfortheconsequences。Imyselfalwaysclearlyforesawtheconsequences，andamnotsurprised。Andyoumustnotbesurprised。

Infact，can’tbesurprised。Musthavebeenpreparedforit。’

MrMeagleslookedathiswifeandatClennam；bithislip；andcoughed。

’Andnowhere’smypoorfellow，’MrsGowanpursued，’receivingnoticethatheistoholdhimselfinexpectationofababy，andalltheexpensesattendantonsuchanadditiontohisfamily!PoorHenry!Butitcan’tbehelpednow；it’stoolatetohelpitnow。

Onlydon’ttalkofanticipatingmeans，PapaMeagles，asadiscovery；becausethatwouldbetoomuch。’

’Toomuch，ma’am？’saidMrMeagles，asseekinganexplanation。

’There，there!’saidMrsGowan，puttinghiminhisinferiorplacewithanexpressiveactionofherhand。’Toomuchformypoorfellow’smothertobearatthistimeofday。Theyarefastmarried，andcan’tbeunmarried。There，there!Iknowthat!Youneedn’ttellmethat，PapaMeagles。Iknowitverywell。WhatwasitIsaidjustnow？Thatitwasagreatcomforttheycontinuedhappy。Itistobehopedtheywillstillcontinuehappy。ItistobehopedPrettyOnewilldoeverythingshecantomakemypoorfellowhappy，andkeephimcontented。PapaandMamaMeagles，wehadbettersaynomoreaboutit。Weneverdidlookatthissubjectfromthesameside，andwenevershall。There，there!NowIamgood。’

Truly，havingbythistimesaideverythingshecouldsayinmaintenanceofherwonderfullymythicalposition，andinadmonitiontoMrMeaglesthathemustnotexpecttobearhishonoursofalliancetoocheaply，MrsGowanwasdisposedtoforgotherest。IfMrMeagleshadsubmittedtoaglanceofentreatyfromMrsMeagles，andanexpressivegesturefromClennam，hewouldhaveleftherintheundisturbedenjoymentofthisstateofmind。ButPetwasthedarlingandprideofhisheart；andifhecouldeverhavechampionedhermoredevotedly，orlovedherbetter，thaninthedayswhenshewasthesunlightofhishouse，itwouldhavebeennow，when，asitsdailygraceanddelight，shewaslosttoit。

’MrsGowan，ma’am，’saidMrMeagles，’Ihavebeenaplainmanallmylife。IfIwastotry——nomatterwhetheronmyself，onsomebodyelse，orboth——anygenteelmystifications，Ishouldprobablynotsucceedinthem。’

’PapaMeagles，’returnedtheDowager，withanaffablesmile，butwiththebloomonhercheeksstandingoutalittlemorevividlythanusualastheneighbouringsurfacebecamepaler，’probablynot。’

’Therefore，mygoodmadam，’saidMrMeagles，atgreatpainstorestrainhimself，’IhopeImay，withoutoffence，asktohavenosuchmystificationplayedoffuponme。’

’MamaMeagles，’observedMrsGowan，’yourgoodmanisincomprehensible。’

Herturningtothatworthyladywasanartificetobringherintothediscussion，quarrelwithher，andvanquishher。MrMeaglesinterposedtopreventthatconsummation。

’Mother，’saidhe，’youareinexpert，mydear，anditisnotafairmatch。Letmebegofyoutorem