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"That is, of everybody who needs me," said Mrs. Marx, casting a sidelook at Tom's handsome, winning countenance. "I judge, young man, thatain't your case."
"But it is, indeed!"
"Maybe," said Mrs. Marx incredulously. "Go on, and let's hear."
"You will let me speak to you frankly?"
"Don't like any other sort."
"And you will answer me also frankly?"
"I don't know," said the lady, "but one thing I can say, if I've gotthe answer, I'll give it to you."
"I don't know who should," said Tom flatteringly, "if not you. Ithought I could trust you, when I had seen you a few times."
"Maybe you won't think so after to-day. But go on. What's the business?"
"It is very important business," said Tom slowly; "and itconcerns – Miss Lothrop."
"You have got hold of me now," said Lois's aunt. "I'll go into thebusiness, you may depend upon it. What is the business?"
"Mrs. Marx, I have a great admiration for Miss Lothrop."
"I dare say. So have some other folks."
"I have had it for a long while. I came here because I heard she wascoming. I have lost my heart to her, Mrs. Marx."
"Ah! – What are you going to do about it? or what can I do about it?
Lost hearts can't be picked up under every bush."
"I want you to tell me what I shall do."
"What hinders your making up your own mind?"
"It is made up! – long ago."
"Then act upon it. What hinders you? I don't see what I have got to dowith that."
"Mrs. Marx, do you think she would have me if I asked her? As a friend, won't you tell me?"
"I don't see why I should, – if I knew, – which I don't. I don't see howit would be a friend's part. Why should I tell you, supposin' I could?She's the only person that knows anything about it."
Tom pulled his moustache right and left in a worried manner.
"Have you asked her?"
"Haven't had a ghost of a chance, since I have been here!" cried theyoung man; "and she isn't like other girls; she don't give a fellow abit of help."
Mrs. Marx laughed out.
"I mean," said Tom, "she is so quiet and steady, and she don't talk, and she don't let one see what she thinks. I think she must know I likeher – but I have not the least idea whether she likes me."
"The shortest way would be to ask her."
"Yes, but you see I can't get a chance. Miss Lothrop is alwaysup-stairs in that sick-room; and if she comes down, my sister or mymother or somebody is sure to be running after her."
"Besides you," said Mrs. Marx.
"Yes, besides me."
"Perhaps they don't want to let you have her all to yourself."
"That's the disagreeable truth!" said Tom in a burst of vexed candour.
"Perhaps they are afraid you will do something imprudent if they do nottake care."
"That's what they call it, with their ridiculous ways of looking atthings. Mrs. Marx, I wish people had sense."
"Perhaps they are right. Perhaps they have sense, and it would beimprudent."
"Why? Mrs. Marx, I am sure you have sense. I have plenty to liveupon, and live as I like. There is no difficulty in my case about waysand means."
"What is the difficulty, then?"
"You see, I don't want to go against my mother and sister, unless I hadsome encouragement to think that Miss Lothrop would listen to me; and Ithought – I hoped – you would be able to help me."
"How can I help you?"
"Tell me what I shall do."
"Well, when it comes to marryin'," said Mrs. Marx, "I always say tofolks, If you can live and get along without gettin' married – don't!"
"Don't get married?"
"Just so," said Mrs. Marx. "Don't get married; not if you can livewithout."
"You to speak so!" said Tom. "I never should have thought, Mrs. Marx, you were one of that sort."
"What sort?"
"The sort that talk against marriage."
"I don't! – only against marryin' the wrong one; and unless it'ssomebody that you can't live without, you may be sure it ain't theright one."
"How many people in the world do you suppose are married on thatprinciple?"
"Everybody that has any business to be married at all," responded thelady with great decision.
"But it is, indeed!"
"Maybe," said Mrs. Marx incredulously. "Go on, and let's hear."
"You will let me speak to you frankly?"
"Don't like any other sort."
"And you will answer me also frankly?"
"I don't know," said the lady, "but one thing I can say, if I've gotthe answer, I'll give it to you."
"I don't know who should," said Tom flatteringly, "if not you. Ithought I could trust you, when I had seen you a few times."
"Maybe you won't think so after to-day. But go on. What's the business?"
"It is very important business," said Tom slowly; "and itconcerns – Miss Lothrop."
"You have got hold of me now," said Lois's aunt. "I'll go into thebusiness, you may depend upon it. What is the business?"
"Mrs. Marx, I have a great admiration for Miss Lothrop."
"I dare say. So have some other folks."
"I have had it for a long while. I came here because I heard she wascoming. I have lost my heart to her, Mrs. Marx."
"Ah! – What are you going to do about it? or what can I do about it?
Lost hearts can't be picked up under every bush."
"I want you to tell me what I shall do."
"What hinders your making up your own mind?"
"It is made up! – long ago."
"Then act upon it. What hinders you? I don't see what I have got to dowith that."
"Mrs. Marx, do you think she would have me if I asked her? As a friend, won't you tell me?"
"I don't see why I should, – if I knew, – which I don't. I don't see howit would be a friend's part. Why should I tell you, supposin' I could?She's the only person that knows anything about it."
Tom pulled his moustache right and left in a worried manner.
"Have you asked her?"
"Haven't had a ghost of a chance, since I have been here!" cried theyoung man; "and she isn't like other girls; she don't give a fellow abit of help."
Mrs. Marx laughed out.
"I mean," said Tom, "she is so quiet and steady, and she don't talk, and she don't let one see what she thinks. I think she must know I likeher – but I have not the least idea whether she likes me."
"The shortest way would be to ask her."
"Yes, but you see I can't get a chance. Miss Lothrop is alwaysup-stairs in that sick-room; and if she comes down, my sister or mymother or somebody is sure to be running after her."
"Besides you," said Mrs. Marx.
"Yes, besides me."
"Perhaps they don't want to let you have her all to yourself."
"That's the disagreeable truth!" said Tom in a burst of vexed candour.
"Perhaps they are afraid you will do something imprudent if they do nottake care."
"That's what they call it, with their ridiculous ways of looking atthings. Mrs. Marx, I wish people had sense."
"Perhaps they are right. Perhaps they have sense, and it would beimprudent."
"Why? Mrs. Marx, I am sure you have sense. I have plenty to liveupon, and live as I like. There is no difficulty in my case about waysand means."
"What is the difficulty, then?"
"You see, I don't want to go against my mother and sister, unless I hadsome encouragement to think that Miss Lothrop would listen to me; and Ithought – I hoped – you would be able to help me."
"How can I help you?"
"Tell me what I shall do."
"Well, when it comes to marryin'," said Mrs. Marx, "I always say tofolks, If you can live and get along without gettin' married – don't!"
"Don't get married?"
"Just so," said Mrs. Marx. "Don't get married; not if you can livewithout."
"You to speak so!" said Tom. "I never should have thought, Mrs. Marx, you were one of that sort."
"What sort?"
"The sort that talk against marriage."
"I don't! – only against marryin' the wrong one; and unless it'ssomebody that you can't live without, you may be sure it ain't theright one."
"How many people in the world do you suppose are married on thatprinciple?"
"Everybody that has any business to be married at all," responded thelady with great decision.
Другие электронные книги автора Susan Warner
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