“Yes, dear, I heard him; but he did not think what he was saying, it never occurred to him that it was you. Don’t shake your little head, I am sure of it; you know, Ursula, your papa is very agreeable and very clever.”
“Yes, I know he is clever; and he can be nice when he likes—”
“Did you like it?” cried Janey, bursting in, red-eyed and dishevelled in her morning frock. “Oh, no, I am not dressed, I don’t mean to, to let him get the better of me, and think I care. Only just for a moment to see you two. Oh, isn’t Phoebe grand in that dress? She is like a picture; you are nothing beside her, Ursula. Tell me, is it nice to have dinner instead of tea? Did it go off very well, did you enjoy yourselves? Or were you all unhappy, sitting round the table, eating beef and mutton,” cried Janey with all the scorn of ignorance, “at that ridiculous hour!”
“I was as miserable as I could be,” cried Ursula, “I was not happy at all. Enjoy myself! with the entrées on my mind, and after what papa said. Oh, run away, Janey, and dress, or else go to bed. Papa will be so angry if he comes up and finds you here.”
“I should like to make him frantic,” cried Janey with vindictive force, “I should just like to drive him out of his senses! Never mind, yes, I am angry; haven’t I a right to be angry? I am as tall as Ursula—I hope I know how to behave myself—and when there were people coming, and a real dinner—”
“Oh, I hear them,” cried Ursula in alarm, and Janey flew off, her hair streaming behind her. Phoebe put her arm round Ursula, and raised her from the stool. She was not perhaps a perfect young woman, but had her own ends to serve like other people; yet she had a friendly soul. She gave her friend a kiss to preface her admonition, as girls have a way of doing.
“I would not let Janey talk so,” she said, “I think you should not talk so yourself, Ursula, if you will forgive me, of your papa; he is very nice, and so clever. I should try all I could to please him, and I should not let anyone be disrespectful to him if it was I.”
“Oh, Phoebe, if you only knew—”
“Yes, I know, gentlemen don’t understand often; but we must do our duty. He is nice, and clever, and handsome, and you ought to be proud of him. Dry your eyes, here they are really, coming upstairs. You must be good-humoured and talk. He is ever so much nicer than the young men,” said Phoebe, almost loud enough to be heard, as Clarence Copperhead, sauntering in advance of the others with his large shirtfront fully displayed, came into the room. He came in half whistling in serene indifference. Phoebe had “style,” it was true; but she was only a Dissenting parson’s daughter, and what were two such girls to Clarence Copperhead? He came in whistling an opera air, which he let drop only after he was well inside the door.
“Miss Beecham, let us have some music. I know you can play,” he said.
“If Miss May likes,” said Phoebe, covering his rudeness; and then she laughed, and added, “if you will accompany me.”
“Does Mr. Copperhead play too?”
“Oh beautifully. Has he not let you see his music? Won’t you bring it here and let us look over it? I dare say there are some things we can play together.”
“You can play everything,” said the young man. “And I’ll bring my violin, if you like.”
He was delighted; he quickened his steps almost into a run as he went away.
“You should not laugh at Mr. Copperhead,” Ursula retorted on her friend. “You should be good-humoured, too. You are better than I am, but you are not quite good, after all.”
“Violin!” said Mr. May. “Heaven and earth! is there going to be any fiddling? Miss Beecham, I did not expect you to bring such a horror upon me. I thought I had nothing but good to expect from you.”
“Wait till you hear him, sir,” said Phoebe.
Mr. May retired to the far corner of the room. He called young Northcote to him, who was standing beside Ursula, eager to talk, but not knowing how to begin. It was bad enough to be thus withdrawn from his chance of making himself agreeable; but the reader may imagine what was the Dissenter’s feelings when Mr. May, with a smile, turned upon him. Having given him a (tolerably) good dinner, and lulled him into a belief that his sins against the family were unknown, he looked at him, smiling, and began.
“Mr. Northcote, the first time I saw you, you were discoursing at an Anti-Establishment Meeting in the Town Hall.”
Northcote started. He blushed fiery red. “It is quite true. I wished to have told you; not to come here on false pretences; but Copperhead—and your son has been very kind—”
“Then I suppose your views are modified. Clergymen no longer appear to you the demons in human shape you thought them then; and my son, in particular, has lost his horns and hoofs?”
“Mr. May, you are very severe; but I own there is reason—”
“It was you who were severe. I was not quite sure of you till Copperhead brought you in. Nay,” said the clergyman, rubbing his hands; “do you think that I object to the utterance of a real opinion? Certainly not. As for Reginald, it was the thing that decided him; I leave you to find out how; so that we are positively in your debt. But I hope you don’t fiddle too. If you like to come with me to my study—”
Northcote gave a longing look round
