“Who has told you?”
“Well, I can’t quite say; but it has come round through Dr. Freeborn.” Dr. Freeborn had in truth told Mr. Peppercorn, with the express view of exercising what influence he possessed so as to prevent the rapid emigration of Mr. Greenmantle. And Mr. Peppercorn had told his daughter, threatening her that something of the same kind would have to happen in his own family if she proved obstinate about her lover. “It’s the best thing going,” said Mr. Peppercorn, “when a girl is upsetting and determined to have her own way.” To this Polly made no reply, but came away early on the following morning, so as to converse with her late friend, Miss Greenmantle.
“Papa says so; but you know it’s quite impossible.”
“What is Mr. Hughes to do?” asked Polly in a whisper.
“I don’t know what anybody is to do. It’s dreadful, the idea of going away from home in this sudden manner.”
“Indeed it is.”
“I can’t do it. Only think, Polly, when I talk to him about clothes he tells me I’m to buy dresses in some foreign town. He knows nothing about a woman’s clothes;—nor yet a man’s for the matter of that. Fancy starting tomorrow for six months. It’s the sort of thing that Ida Pfeiffer used to do.”
“I didn’t know her,” said Polly.
“She was a great traveller, and went about everywhere almost without anything. I don’t know how she managed it, but I’m sure that I can’t.”
“Dr. Freeborn says that he thinks it’s all nonsense.” As Polly said this she shook her head and looked uncommonly wise. Emily, however, made no immediate answer. Could it be true that Dr. Freeborn had thus spoken of her father? Emily did think that it was all nonsense, but she had not yet brought herself to express her thoughts openly. “To tell the truth, Miss Greenmantle,” continued Polly, “Dr. Freeborn thinks that Mr. Hughes ought to be allowed to have his own way.” In answer to this Emily could bring herself to say nothing; but she declared to herself that since the beginning of things Dr. Freeborn had always been as near an angel as any old gentleman could be. “And he says that it’s quite out of the question that you should be carried off in this way.”
“I suppose I must do what papa tells me.”
“Well; yes. I don’t know quite about that. I’m all for doing everything that papa likes, but when he talks of taking me to France, I know I’m not going. Lord love you, he couldn’t talk to anybody there.” Emily began to remember that her father’s proficiency in the French language was not very great. “Neither could I for the matter of that,” continued Polly. “Of course, I learned it at school, but when one can only read words very slowly one can’t talk them at all. I’ve tried it, and I know it. A precious figure father and I would make finding our way about France.”
“Does Mr. Peppercorn think of going?” asked Emily.
“He says so;—if I won’t drop Jack Hollycombe. Now I don’t mean to drop Jack Hollycombe; not for father nor for anyone. It’s only Jack himself can make me do that.”
“He won’t, I suppose.”
“I don’t think he will. Now it’s absurd, you know, the idea of our papas both carrying us off to France because we’ve got lovers in Plumplington. How all the world would laugh at them! You tell your papa what my papa is saying, and Dr. Freeborn thinks that that will prevent him. At any rate, if I were you, I wouldn’t go and buy anything in a hurry. Of course, you’ve got to think of what would do for married life.”
“Oh, dear, no!” exclaimed Emily.
“At any rate I should keep my mind fixed upon it. Dr. Freeborn says that there’s no knowing how things may turn out.” Having finished the purport of her embassy, Polly took her leave without even having offered one kiss to her friend.
Dr. Freeborn had certainly been very sly in instigating Mr. Peppercorn to proclaim his intention of following the example of his neighbour the banker. “Papa,” said Emily when her father came in to luncheon, “Mr. Peppercorn is going to take his daughter to foreign parts.”
“What for?”
“I believe he means to reside there for a time.”
“What nonsense! He reside in France! He wouldn’t know what to do with himself for an hour. I never heard anything like it. Because I am going to France is all Plumplington to follow me? What is Mr. Peppercorn’s reason for going to France?” Emily hesitated; but Mr. Greenmantle pressed the question, “What object can such a man have?”
“I suppose it’s about his daughter,” said Emily. Then the truth flashed upon Mr. Greenmantle’s mind, and he became aware that he must at any rate for the present abandon the idea. Then, too, there came across him some vague notion that Dr. Freeborn had instigated Mr. Peppercorn and an idea of the object with which he had done so.
“Papa,” said Emily that afternoon, “am I to get the trunks I spoke about?”
“What trunks?”
“To put my things in, papa. I must have trunks if I am to go abroad for any length of time. And you will want a large portmanteau. You would get it much better in London than you would at Plumplington.” But here Mr. Greenmantle told his daughter that she need not at present trouble her mind about either his travelling gear or her own.
A few days afterwards Dr. Freeborn sauntered into the bank, and spoke a few words to the cashier across the counter. “So Mr. Greenmantle, I’m told, is not going abroad,” said the Rector.
“I’ve heard nothing more about it,” said Philip Hughes.
“I think he has abandoned the idea. There was Hickory Peppercorn thinking of going, too, but he has abandoned it. What do they want to go travelling about France for?”
“What indeed, Dr. Freeborn;—unless the two young
