Dr Thorne - Anthony Trollope [177]
‘But, mamma, I know so well what Mary herself thinks about it.’
‘And I know what Dr Thorne thinks about it; he, at any rate, has been candid in what he has said; there can be no doubt on earth that he has spoken his true thoughts; there can be no reason to doubt him: of course such a match would be all that he could wish.’
‘Mamma, I feel sure that there is some mistake.’
‘Very well, my dear. I know that you are infatuated about these people, and that you are always inclined to contradict what I say to you; but, remember, I expect that you will obey me when I tell you not to go to Dr Thorne’s house any more.’
‘But, mamma –’
‘I expect you to obey me, Beatrice. Though you are so prone to contradict, you have never disobeyed me; and I fully trust that you will not do so now.’
Lady Arabella had begun by exacting, or trying to exact a promise, but as she found that this was not forthcoming, she thought it better to give up the point without a dispute. It might be that Beatrice would absolutely refuse to pay this respect to her mother’s authority, and then where would she have been?
At this moment a servant came up to say that the squire was in his room, and Lady Arabella was opportunely saved the necessity of discussing the matter further with her daughter. ‘I am now,’ she said, ‘going to see your father on the same subject; you may be quite sure, Beatrice, that I should not willingly speak to him on any matter relating to Dr Thorne did I not find it absolutely necessary to do so.’
This Beatrice knew was true, and she did therefore feel convinced that something terrible must have happened.
While Lady Arabella opened her budget the squire sat quite silent, listening to her with apparent respect. She found it necessary that her description to him should be much more elaborate than that which she had vouchsafed to her daughter, and, in telling her grievance, she insisted most especially on the personal insult which had been offered to herself.
‘After what has now happened,’ said she, not quite able to repress a tone of triumph as she spoke, ‘I do expect, Mr Gresham, that you will – will –’
‘Will what, my dear?’
‘Will at least protect me from the repetition of such treatment.’
‘You are not afraid that Dr Thorne will come here to attack you? As far as I can understand, he never comes near the place, unless when you send for him.’
‘No; I do not think that he will come to Greshamsbury any more. I believe I have put a stop to that.’
‘Then what is it, my dear, that you want me to do?’
Lady Arabella paused a minute before she replied. The game which she now had to play was not very easy; she knew, or thought she knew, that her husband, in his heart of hearts, much preferred his friend to the wife of his bosom, and that he would, if he could, shuffle out of noticing the doctor’s iniquities. It behoved her, therefore, to put them forward in such a way that they must be noticed.
‘I suppose, Mr Gresham, you do not wish that Frank should marry the girl?’
‘I do not think that there is the slightest chance of such a thing; and I am quite sure that Dr Thorne would not encourage it.’
‘But I tell you, Mr Gresham, that he says that he will encourage it.’
‘Oh, you have misunderstood him.’
‘Of course; I always misunderstand everything. I know that. I misunderstood it when I told you how you would distress yourself if you took those nasty hounds.’
‘I have had other troubles more expensive than the hounds,’ said the poor squire, sighing.
‘Oh, yes; I know what you mean; a wife and family are expensive, of course. It is a little too late now to complain of that.’
‘My dear, it is always too late to complain of any troubles when they are no longer to be avoided. We need not, therefore, talk any more about the hounds at present.’
‘I do not wish to speak of them, Mr Gresham.’
‘Nor I.’
‘But I hope you will not think me unreasonable if I am anxious to know what you intend to do about Dr Thorne.’
‘To do?’
‘Yes; I suppose you will do something: you do not wish to see your son marry such a girl as Mary Thorne.’
‘As far as the girl