'
'And with these angels loitered away the time which ought to have been
devoted to good Mother Hubbard, in her fit of lumbago, and returned without
having set eyes on that afflicted Christian, to amaze his worthy sister
with poetic babblings about wood-nymphs and such pagan impieties,' rejoined
Lady Knollys.
'Well, be just,' he replied, laughing; 'did not I go next day and see the
patient?'
'Yes; next day you went by the same route--in quest of the dryads, I am
afraid--and were rewarded by the spectacle of Mother Hubbard.'
'Will nobody help a humane man in difficulties?' Mr. Carysbroke appealed.
'I do believe,' said the lady whom as yet I knew only as Mary, 'that every
word that Monica says is perfectly true.'
'And if it be so, am I not all the more in need of help? Truth is simply
the most dangerous kind of defamation, and I really think I'm most cruelly
persecuted.'
At this moment dinner was announced, and a meek and dapper little
clergyman, with smooth pink cheeks, and tresses parted down the middle,
whom I had not seen before, emerged from shadow.
This little man was assigned to Milly, Mr.
Pages:
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480