I am resolved to tell him this day, that stay
there a single woman, I will not an hour after the funeral; and marry
him I don't think I will, unless he becomes steadier and more of a
home body."
The mild mistress of the Locusts suffered the exuberance of the
housekeeper's feelings to expend itself, and then, by one or two
judicious questions, that denoted a more intimate knowledge of the
windings of the human heart in matters of Cupid than might fairly be
supposed to belong to a spinster, she extracted enough from Katy to
discover the improbability of Harvey's ever presuming to offer himself,
with his broken fortunes, to the acceptance of Katharine Haynes. She
therefore mentioned her own want of assistance in the present state of
her household, and expressed a wish that Katy would change her residence
to the Locusts, in case the peddler had no further use for her services.
After a few preliminary conditions on the part of the wary housekeeper,
the arrangement was concluded; and making a few more piteous
lamentations on the weight of her own losses and the stupidity of
Harvey, united with some curiosity to know the future fate of the
peddler, Katy withdrew to make the necessary preparations for the
approaching funeral, which was to take place that day.
During the interview between the two females, Lawton, through delicacy,
had withdrawn.
Pages:
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237