The Cuckoo in the Nest, v. 2/2Oliphant, Mrs. (Margaret)
General
The Cuckoo in the Nest, v. 2/2
Oliphant, Mrs. (Margaret)
Fiction
“Not accept it, sir?” cried Sir Francis--“not accept a righteous
restitution? I should like to know on what principle we could refuse it?
If a man had taken your watch from you, would you refuse to take it if
he brought it back? Why, what would that be but to discourage every good
impulse? I shall certainly accept it. And I hope, Mr. Pownceby, that you
will convey my thanks--yes, my thanks, and very high appreciation to
this young lady. I think she is doing a very noble thing. Whether I
benefited by it or not, I should think it a very noble thing. Don’t be
stingy in your praise, sir! It’s noble to say you’ve been wrong--many
haven’t the strength of mind to do it. I’ll drink her very good health
at dinner. We’ll have a toast, do you hear?”
“Yes, Grandpapa,” cried Osy, always ready; “and shall it be with what
Cousin Colonel calls the honours? You give the name, and I’ll stand up
upon a chair and do the ‘Hip, hip, hurrah!’”
Upon what rule it was that old Sir Francis, rather a severe old
gentleman to most people, had become grandpapa to Osy, while Colonel
Piercey remained only, as of old, Cousin Colonel, is too subtle a
question to enter into; but it was so to the perfect satisfaction of the
two persons chiefly involved. And thus for the second time Osy cheered
for Patty with the delighted readiness of an unbiassed soul.
Mrs. Piercey left Greyshott shortly after this, having left everything
in the most perfect good order, and all the servants in the house,
without saying a word of any new arrangements, though I need not say
they had all read that paragraph in the newspapers. She went to London,
where she spent a few weeks very pleasantly, and ordered a great many
new dresses. Here she dismissed Jerningham, who carried away with her a
number of black and white gowns, and the best recommendations. Patty
plunged into pinks and blues with the zest of a person who has long been
deprived of such indulgences, and the world learned by the newspapers
that, on the 20th of August, Patience, widow of the late Gervase
Piercey, Esq., of Greyshott, was married at St. George’s, Hanover
Square, to Roger Pearson, Esq., of Canterbury House. The happy pair went
abroad for their honeymoon, but did not enjoy the Continent, only
entering into full and perfect bliss when they returned to the
glistening glories of their new house. There had been various storms
between them before the question of Greyshott had been decided, and it
had required all Roger’s power and influence to carry his scheme to a
successful conclusion. His determination not to sit down by another
man’s fireside, and to have nothing to say to the old house, which he
declared gave him the shivers to look at, were answered by many a
scornful request to take himself off then, if he didn’t like it, and
leave it to those who did.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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