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〃A little dinner；〃 the Major reiterated； 〃at my house。 You insist
on my introducing you to Dexter； and I refuse to trust you alone
with th at crack…brained personage。 The only alternative under
the circumstances is to invite him to meet you； and to let you
form your own opinion of himunder the protection of my roof。
Who shall we have to meet you besides？〃 pursued the Major；
brightening with hospitable intentions。 〃We want a perfect galaxy
of beauty around the table； as a species of compensation when we
have got Miserrimus Dexter as one the guests。 Madame Mirliflore
is still in London。 You would be sure to like hershe is
charming； she possesses your firmness； your extraordinary
tenacity of purpose。 Yes； we will have Madame Mirliflore。 Who
else？ Shall we say Lady Clarinda？ Another charming person； Mr。
Benjamin！ You would be sure to admire hershe is so sympathetic；
she resembles in so many respects our fair friend here。 Yes； Lady
Clarinda shall be one of us； and you shall sit next to her； Mr。
Benjamin； as a proof of my sincere regard for you。 Shall we have
my young prima donna to sing to us in the evening？ think so。 She
is pretty； she will assist in obscuring the deformity of Dexter。
Very well； there is our party complete！ I will shut myself up
this evening and approach the question of dinner with my cook。
Shall we say this day week；〃 asked the Major； taking out his
pocketbook； 〃at eight o'clock？〃
I consented to the proposed compromisebut not very willingly。
With a letter of introduction； I might have seen Miserrimus
Dexter that afternoon。 As it was； the 〃little dinner〃 compelled
me to wait in absolute inaction through a whole week。 However；
there was no help for it but to submit。 Major Fitz…David； in his
polite way； could be as obstinate as I was。 He had evidently made
up his mind； and further opposition on my part would be of no
service to me。
〃Punctually at eight； Mr。 Benjamin；〃 reiterated the Major。 〃Put
it down in your book。〃
Benjamin obeyedwith a side look at me； which I was at no loss
to interpret。 My good old friend did not relish meeting a man at
dinner who was described as 〃half tiger； half monkey；〃 and the
privilege of sitting next to Lady Clarinda rather daunted than
delighted him。 It was all my doing； and he too had no choice but
to submit。 〃Punctually at eight； sir；〃 said poor old Benjamin；
obediently recording his formidable engagement。 〃Please to take
another glass of wine。〃
The Major looked at his watch； and rosewith fluent apologies
for abruptly leaving the table。
〃It is later than I thought；〃 he said。 〃I have an appointment
with a frienda female friend； a most attractive person。 You a
little remind me of her； my dear ladyyou resemble her in
complexion： the same creamy paleness。 I adore creamy paleness。 As
I was saying； I have an appointment with my friend； she does me
the honor to ask my opinion on some very remarkable specimens of
old lace。 I have studied old lace。 I study everything that can
make me useful or agreeable to your enchanting sex。 You won't
forget our little dinner？ I will send Dexter his invitation the
moment I get home。 〃He took my hand and looked at it critically；
with his head a little on one side。 〃A delicious hand；〃 he said；
〃you don't mind my looking at ityou don't mind my kissing it；
do you？ A delicious hand is one of my weaknesses。 Forgive my
weaknesses。 I promise to repent and amend one of these days。〃
〃At your age； Major； do you think you have much time to lose？〃
asked a strange voice； speaking behind us。
We all three looked around toward the door。 There stood my
husband's mother； smiling satirically； with Benjamin's shy little
maid…servant waiting to announce her。
Major Fitz…David was ready with his answer。
The old soldier was not easily taken by surprise。
〃Age； my dear Mrs。 Macallan； is a purely relative expression；〃 he
said。 〃There are some people who are never young； and there are
other people who are never old。 I am one of the other people。 _Au
revoir！_〃
With that answer the incorrigible Major kissed the tips of his
fingers to us and walked out。 Benjamin； bowing with his
old…fashioned courtesy； threw open the door of his little
library； and； inviting Mrs。 Macallan and myself to pass in； left
us together in the room。
CHAPTER XXIII
MY MOTHER…IN…LAW SURPRISES ME。
I TOOK a chair at a respectful distance from the sofa on which
Mrs。 Macallan seated herself。 The old lady smiled； and beckoned
to me to take my place by her side。 Judging by appearances； she
had certainly not come to see me in the character of an enemy。 It
remained to be discovered I whether she were really disposed to
be my friend。
〃I have received a letter from your uncle the vicar；〃 she began。
〃He asks me to visit you； and I am happyfor reasons which you
shall presently hearto comply with his request。 Under other
circumstances I doubt very much； my dear childstrange as the
confession may appearwhether I should have ventured into your
presence。 My son has behaved to you so weakly； and （in my
opinion） so inexcusably； that I am really； speaking as his
mother； almost ashamed to face you。〃
Was she in earnest？ I listened to her and looked at her in
amazement。
〃Your uncle's letter；〃 pursued Mrs。 Macallan； 〃tells me how you
have behaved under your hard trial； and what you propose to do
now Eustace has left you。 Doctor Starkweather； poor man； seems to
be inexpressibly shocked by what you said to him when he was in
London。 He begs me to use my influence to induce you to abandon
your present ideas； and to make you return to your old home at
the Vicarage。 I don't in the least agree with your uncle； my
dear。 Wild as I believe your plans to beyou have not the
slightest chance of succeeding in carrying them outI admire
your courage； your fidelity； your unshaken faith in my unhappy
son； after his unpardonable behavior to you。 You are a fine
creature； Valeria； and I have come here to tell you so in plain
words。 Give me a kiss； child。 You deserve to be the wife of a
hero； and you have married one of the weakest of living mortals。
God forgive me for speaking so of my own son； but it's in my
mind； and it must come out！〃
This way of speaking of Eustace was more than I could suffer；
even from his mother。 I recovered the use of my tongue in my
husband's defense。
〃I am sincerely proud of your good opinion； dear Mrs。 Macallan；〃
I said。 〃But you distress meforgive me if I own it
plainlywhen I hear you speak so disparagingly of Eustace。 I
cannot agree with you that my husband is the weakest of living
mortals。〃
〃Of course not！〃 retorted the old lady。 〃You are like all good
womenyou make a hero of the man you love；whether he deserve
it or not。 Your husband has hosts of good qualities； childand
perhaps I know them better than you do。 But his whole conduct；
from the moment when he first entered your uncle's house to the
present time； has been； I say again； the conduct of an
essentially weak man。 What do you think he has done now by way of
climax？ He has joined a charitable brotherhood； and he is off to
the war in Spain with a red cross on his arm； when he ought to be
here on his knees； ask