Magnificent Ambersons, The - Booth Tarkington [83]
"Mr. Amberson--I mean Mr. Minafer!" she exclaimed. "I'm really delighted: I understood you asked for me. Mr. Johnson's out of the city, but Charlie's downtown and I'm looking for him at any minute, now, and he'll be so pleased that you--"
"I didn't want to see Charlie," George said. "I want"
"Do sit down," the hospitable lady urged him, seating herself upon the sofa. "Do sit down."
"No, I thank you. I wish--"
"Surely you're not going to run away again, when you've just come. Do sit down, Mr. Minafer. I hope you're all well at your house and at the dear old Major's, too. He's looking--"
"Mrs. Johnson" George said, in a strained loud voice which arrested her attention immediately, so that she was abruptly silent, leaving her surprised mouth open. She had already been concealing some astonishment at this unexampled visit, however, and the condition of George's ordinarily smooth hair (for he had overlooked more than his hat) had not alleviated her perplexity. "Mrs. Johnson," he said, "I have come to ask you a few questions which I would like you to answer, if you please."
She became grave at once. "Certainly, Mr. Minafer. Anything I can--"
He interrupted sternly, yet his voice shook in spite of its sternness. "You were talking with my Aunt Fanny about my mother this afternoon."
At this Mrs. Johnson uttered an involuntary gasp, but she recovered herself. "Then I'm sure our conversation was a very pleasant one, if we were talking of your mother, because--"
Again he interrupted. "My aunt has told me what the conversation virtually was, and I don't mean to waste any time, Mrs. Johnson. You were talking about a--" George's shoulders suddenly heaved uncontrollably; but he went fiercely on: "You were discussing a scandal that involved my mother's name."
"Mr. Minafer!"
"Isn't that the truth?"
"I don't feel called upon to answer, Mr. Minafer," she said with visible agitation. "I do not consider that you have any right--"
"My aunt told me you repeated this scandal to her."
"I don't think your aunt can have said that," Mrs. Johnson returned sharply. "I did not repeat a scandal of any kind to your aunt and I think you are mistaken in saying she told you I did. We may, have discussed some matters that have been a topic of comment about town--"
"Yes!" George cried. "I think you may have! That's what I'm here about, and what I intend to--"
"Don't tell me what you intend, please," Mrs. Johnson interrupted crisply. "And I should prefer that you would not make your voice quite so loud in this house, which I happen to own. Your aunt may have told you--though I think it would have been very unwise in her if she did, and not very considerate of me--she may have told you that we discussed some such topic as I have mentioned, and possibly that would have been true. If I talked it over with her, you may be sure I spoke in the most charitable spirit, and without sharing in other people's disposition to put an evil interpretation on what may, be nothing more than unfortunate appearances and--"
"My God!" said George. "I can't stand this!"
"You have the option of dropping the subject," Mrs. Johnson suggested tartly, and she added: "Or of leaving the house."
"I'll do that soon enough, but first I mean to know--"
"I am perfectly willing to tell you anything you wish if you will remember to ask it quietly. I'll also take the liberty of reminding you that I had a perfect right to discuss the subject with your aunt. Other people may be less considerate in not confining their discussion of it, as I have, to charitable views expressed only to a member of the family. Other people--"
"Other people!" the unhappy George repeated viciously. "That's what I want to know about--these other people!"
"I beg your pardon."
"I want to ask you about them. You say you know of other people who talk about this."
"I presume they do."
"How many?"
"What?"
"I want to know how many other people talk about it?"
"Dear,