"I ? I was going to say, Miss Ringgan!" said the doctor, with a most unaffected obeisance, "but ? a ? I am afraid, Sir, it is a deceptive influence!"
"I hope not," said Dr. Gregory, smiling; one corner of his mouth for his guest and the other for his niece. "Real enough to do real execution, or I am mistaken, Sir."
"Upon my word, Sir," said Dr. Quackenboss, bowing again, "I hope ? a ? Miss Ringgan ? will remember the acts of her executive power at home, and return in time to prevent an unfortunate termination!"
Dr. Gregory laughed heartily now, while Fleda"s cheeks relieved her dress to admiration.
"Who will complain of her if she don"t?" said the doctor. "Who will complain of her if she don"t?"
But Fleda put in her question.
"How are you all at home, Dr. Quackenboss?"
"All Queechy, Sir," answered the doctor, politely, on the principle of "first come, first served" ? "and individuals ? I shouldn"t like to specify" ?
"How are you all in Queechy, Dr. Quackenboss?" said Fleda.
"I ? have the pleasure to say ? we are coming along as usual,"
replied the doctor, who seemed to have lost his power of standing up straight. "My sister Flora enjoys but poor health lately ? they are all holding their heads up at your house.
Mr. Rossitur has come home."
"Uncle Rolf! Has he?" exclaimed Fleda, the colour of joy quite supplanting the other. "Oh, I"m very glad!"
"Yes," said the doctor ? "he"s been home now ? I guess, going on four days."
"I am very glad!" repeated Fleda. "But wont you come and see me another time, Dr. Quackenboss? ? I am obliged to go out."
The doctor professed his great willingness, adding that he had only come down to the city to do two or three ch.o.r.es, and thought she might perhaps like to take the opportunity ? which would afford him such very great gratification.
"No, indeed, faire Una," said Dr. Gregory, when they were on their way to Mrs. Thorn"s ? "they"ve got your uncle at home now, and we"ve got you; and I mean to keep you till I"m satisfied. So you may bring home that eye that has been squinting at Queechy ever since you have been here, and make up your mind to enjoy yourself; I shan"t let you go till you do."
"I ought to enjoy myself, uncle Orrin," said Fleda, squeezing his arm gratefully.
"See you do," said he.
The pleasant news from home had given Fleda"s spirits the needed spur, which the quick walk to Mrs. Thorn"s did not take off.
"Did you ever see Fleda look so well, Mamma?" said Florence, as the former entered the drawing-room.
"That is the loveliest and best face in the room," said Mr.
Evelyn; "and she looks like herself to-night."
"There is a matchless simplicity about her," said a gentleman, standing by.
"Her dress is becoming," said Mrs. Evelyn.
"Why, where did you ever see her, Mr. Stackpole, except at our house?" said Constance.
"At Mrs. Decatur"s ? I have had that pleasure ? and once at her uncle"s."
"I didn"t know you ever noticed ladies" faces, Mr. Stackpole,"
said Florence.
"How Mrs. Thorn does look at her!" said Constance, under her breath. "It is too much."
It was almost too much for Fleda"s equanimity, for the colour began to come.
"And there goes Mr. Carleton!" said Constance. "I expect momentarily to hear the company strike up, "Sparkling and Bright." "
"They should have done that some time ago, Miss Constance,"
said the gentleman.
Which compliment, however, Constance received with hardly disguised scorn, and turned her attention again to Mr.
Carleton.
"I trust I do not need presentation," said his voice and his smile at once, as he presented himself to Fleda.
How little he needed it, the flash of feeling which met his eyes said sufficiently well. But apparently the feeling was a little too deep, for the colour mounted, and the eyes fell, and the smile suddenly died on the lips. Mr. Thorn came up to them, and releasing her hand, Mr. Carleton stepped back and permitted him to lead her away.
"What do think of _that_ face?" said Constance, finding herself a few moments after at his side.
" "That" must define itself," said he, "or I can hardly give a safe answer."
"What face? Why, I mean, of course, the one Mr. Thorn carried off just now."
"You are her friend, Miss .Constance," he said, coolly. "May I ask for your judgment upon it before I give mine?"
"Mine? why, I expected every minute that Mr. Thorn would make the musicians play "Sparkling and Bright," and tell Miss Ringgan that to save trouble he had directed them to express what he was sure were the sentiments of the whole company in one burst."
He smiled a little, but in a way that Constance could not understand, and did not like.
"Those are common epithets," he said.
"Must I use uncommon?" said Constance, significantly.
"No; but these may say one thing or another."
"I have said one thing," said Constance; "and now you may say the other."
"Pardon me ? you have said nothing. These epithets are deserved by a great many faces, but on very different grounds; and the praise is a different thing, accordingly."
"Well, what is the difference?" said Constance.
"On what do you think this lady"s t.i.tle to it rests?"
"On what? ? why, on that bewitching little air of the eyes and mouth, I suppose."
"Bewitching is a very vague term," said he, smiling again, more quietly. "But you have had an opportunity of knowing it much better of late than I ? to which cla.s.s of bright faces would you refer this one? Where does the light come from?"