"Well, you may as well come, Betsey; but mind what you're about, and
don't get making an offer, for fear of giving offence."
"Would it give offence, Bill?"
"Yes, if you didn't mind your p's and q's. You hold your tongue, and
leave everything to me; but if I give you a hint, you're to take Miss
Thorne aside and make her an offer."
"It's my belief that Bill will be making her an offer one of these
days," thought little Miss Burge; "but she don't seem to be quite the
sort of wife for him, if he is going to bring one home."
Mr William Forth Burge was not long in changing his coat and he met his
sister in the hall, twirling his orange silk handkerchief round and
round his already too glossy hat; after which they walked down
arm-in-arm to the school, to find the head pupil-teacher in charge, and
the girls unusually quiet, a fact due to the vicar being in the
class-room, in company with George Canninge, both having arrived
together, and then shaken hands warmly, and entered to have a look round
the school.
Mr William Forth Burge and his sister both shook hands with the other
visitors, and were then informed that Miss Thorne was suffering from a
terribly bad headache. She had been very unwell, the pupil-teacher
said, all the morning, and had been obliged to go and lie down.
Hereupon the visitors all began to fence, the object of their call being
scrupulously kept in the background, and they one and all took a great
deal of interest in the girls, and ended by going away all together,
expressing their sorrow that poor Miss Thorne was so unwell.
The vicar and George Canninge walked up the town street together, after
shaking hands with Mr and Miss Burge, and discussed politics till they
parted; while Mr William Forth Burge, slowly followed with his sister,
also talking politics but of a smaller kind, for they were the politics
of the Plumton people, and the great man began to lay down the law
according to his own ideas.
"They were both down there about that school money, Betsey, as sure as a
gun. But just you look here: people think I'm soft because I come out
with my money for charities and that sort of thing; but they never made
a bigger mistake in their lives, if they think they can do just what
they like with me; so there now."
"That they never did, Bill," assented his sister.
"I look upon them schools as good as mine, and if there's to be a row
about this money, I mean to have a word in it, for I'm not a-going to
have that poor young lady sat upon by no one. I've hit the nail on the
head as sure as a gun, and if it isn't the old lady that's got her into
a scrape, you may call me a fool."
"Which I never would, Bill," said little Miss Burge emphatically; and
together they toddled back home.