Miss Chubb could keep a secret. She was proud of being entrusted with
one. She was much gratified when Rhoda Maxfield, on the Monday after
Diamond's proposal, called at the maiden lady's modest lodgings, and
confided to her the fact that Mr. Diamond had asked her to marry him,
and that she had accepted him subject to her father's consent. It may
seem strange that Rhoda should have chosen to make this confidence to
Miss Chubb, rather than to Mrs. Errington, or to Minnie Bodkin, with
both of whom she was more intimate. But she told Miss Chubb that she
wanted her help.
"My help, my dear! I'm sure I don't know how I can help you. But if I
can I will. And I congratulate you sincerely. I've seen how it would be
all along. You know I told you that a certain gentleman was falling over
head and ears in love, a long time ago. Didn't I, now?"
Rhoda acknowledged that it was so; and then she said she had come to ask
a great favour. Would Miss Chubb mind saying a word or two on Mr.
Diamond's behalf to her father? "Father told me this morning, after
breakfast, that he should make some inquiries about Mr. Diamond. I am
quite sure that nothing will come out that is not honourable to him; I
am not the least afraid of that. And I believe Dr. Bodkin will praise
him very highly, but he will not perhaps say the sort of things that
would please father most. He will tell him what a good scholar he is,
and all that, but he will never think of making father understand that
Mr. Diamond is looked upon as being as much a gentleman as he is
himself. Gentlefolks like Dr. Bodkin take those things for granted. But
father would like to be told them. He thinks so very much of my
marrying--above my own class, for, of course, I have learnt enough to
know that Mr. Diamond belongs to a different sort of people from mine."
"I understand, my dear," returned Miss Chubb, nodding her head shrewdly.
"And you may depend on my doing my best, if I have the chance. But I'm
afraid it is not likely that Mr. Maxfield will consult me on the
subject."
"I told him to come to you. Father knows you are one of the few people
with whom Mr. Diamond has associated in Whitford."
"Why don't you send him to Mrs. Errington? Oh, I forgot! Your father and
she are two." Miss Chubb laughed to cover a little confusion on her own
part, for she guessed that Rhoda might have other reasons for not asking
Mrs. Errington's testimony in favour of her suitor. Then she added
quickly, "Or Minnie Bodkin, now! Minnie's word would go farther with
your father than mine would. And Minnie and Mr. Diamond are such
cronies. You had better send him to Minnie."
"No, thank you."
"But why not? Good gracious, she is the very person!"
"No, I think not. We don't wish it known until father has given his
decided consent. I have only told you in confidence, Miss Chubb."
"But--if the doctor knows it, Minnie must know it! And if I know it, why
shouldn't she?"
"No, thank you. I don't want to ask Miss Minnie about it."
"I wonder why that is, now!" pondered Miss Chubb, when Rhoda was gone.
And very probably Rhoda could not have told her why.
Old Maxfield duly paid his visit to Miss Chubb. The good-natured little
woman waited at home all day lest she should miss him. And about an hour
after her early dinner Mr. Maxfield sent in his respects, and would be
glad to have a word with her if she were at leisure.
"I hope you will overlook the intrusion, ma'am," said Maxfield, standing
up with his hat in his hand, just inside the door of the little
sitting-room, where Miss Chubb asked him to walk in.
"No intrusion at all, Mr. Maxfield! I'm very glad to see you. Please to
sit down."
He obeyed, and holding his thick stick upright before him, and his hat
on his knees, he thus began:
"I'm not a-going to waste your time and mine with vain and worldly
discourse, ma'am. I am a man as knows the value of time, thanks be! And
I have a serious matter on my mind. You know my daughter Rhoda?"
"I know Rhoda, and like her, and admire her very much."
"Yes; Rhoda is a girl such as you don't see many like her. There's a
young man seeking her in marriage."
"I'm not surprised at that!"
"No; there has been several others too. But she gave 'em no
encouragement; nor should I have been willing that she should. Some of
them were persons in my own rank of life, and that would not do for
Rhoda."
"I think you are quite right there, Mr. Maxfield. Rhoda is naturally
very refined, and she has associated a good deal with persons of
cultivated manners. I don't think Rhoda would be happy if she were
obliged to give up certain little graces of life, which a great many
excellent people can do without perfectly well."
Maxfield nodded approvingly. "You speak with a good deal of judgment,
ma'am," said he, with the air of a recognised authority on wisdom. "But
it isn't only that. Rhoda will have money--a great deal of money--more
than some folks that holds their heads very high ever had or will have.
Now it is but just and rightful that I should expect her husband to
bring some advantages in return."
"Of course. And--ahem!--I'm sure you are too sensible a man not to
consider that the best thing a husband could bring in exchange would be
an honest, loving heart, and a real esteem and respect for your
daughter."
Little Miss Chubb became quite fluttered after making this speech, and
coloured as if she had been a girl of eighteen.
"Not at all," returned old Max decisively. "The loving heart and the
esteem and respect are due to my Rhoda if she hadn't a penny. In return
for her fortin' I expect something over and above."
"Oh!" exclaimed Miss Chubb, a good deal taken aback.
"Now I don't feel sure that the young man in question has that something
over and above. It is Mr. Matthew Diamond, tutor at the Grammar School
in this town."
"A most excellent young man! And, I'm sure, most devotedly in love with
Rhoda."
"But very poor, and not of much account in the world, as far as I can
make out."
"Oh, don't say that, Mr. Maxfield! He is proud and shy, and has kept
himself aloof from society because he chose to do so. But he would be a
welcome guest anywhere in the town or county. Young Mr. Pawkins, of
Pudcombe Hall, quite courts him; he is always asking him to go over
there."
Thus much and more Miss Chubb valiantly spoke on behalf of Matthew
Diamond in his character of Rhoda's wooer. And then she expatiated on
the excellent position he would hold as master of Dorrington School. It
was such a "select seminary;" and so many of the first county people
sent their boys there. "Dear me," said Miss Chubb, "it seems to me to be
the very position for Rhoda! Not too far from Whitford, and yet not too
near--of course she couldn't keep up all her old acquaintances here,
could she?--and altogether so refined, and scholastic, and quiet! And
really, Mr. Maxfield, see how everything turns out for the best. I
thought at one time that young Errington was very much smitten with
Rhoda; but, if she had taken him, you wouldn't have been so satisfied
with her position in life now, would you? With all his talent and
connection, see what a poor place he has of it. Mr. Diamond has done
best, ten to one."
This was a master-stroke, and made a great impression on old Max. Not
that the latter even now was at all dazzled by the prospect of having
the head-master of Dorrington School for his son-in-law. But Miss
Chubb's allusion did suffice to show him that the world would consider
Diamond to be a triumphantly successful man in comparison with
Errington.
"Oh, him!" said Maxfield in a tone of bitter contempt. "No; such as him
was not for Miss Maxfield. And I'll tell you, moreover, that I don't
know but what she's throwing herself away more or less if she takes this
other. She's a great catch for him; I know the world, and I know that
she is a great catch. But I've felt latterly one or two warnings that my
end is near----"
"Dear me, Mr. Maxfield! Don't say so! I'm sure you look very hearty!"
exclaimed Miss Chubb, much startled by this cool announcement.
"That my end is near," repeated old Max doggedly, "and I wish to set my
house in order, and see my daughter provided for, before I go. And she
seems to be contented with this young man. Rhoda ain't just easy to
please. It might be a long time, if ever, before she found some one to
suit her so well."
Miss Chubb was a little shocked at this singularly prosaic and
unemotional way of treating the subject of love and marriage, as to
which she herself preserved the most romantic freshness of ideas. She
would have liked the young couple to be like the lovers in a story-book,
and the father to bestow his daughter and his blessing with tears of
joy. However, she did her best to encourage Mr. Maxfield in giving his
consent after his own fashion, and they parted on excellent terms with
each other.
"That dry old chip, Jonathan Maxfield, has been to me to-day," said Dr.
Bodkin after dinner to his wife and daughter. "He came to ask me what
prospect I thought Diamond had of getting the mastership of Dorrington,
explaining to me that Diamond was a suitor for his daughter's hand. It
took me quite by surprise. Had you any inkling of the matter, Minnie?"
"Oh yes, papa."
"Dear me! Well, women see these things so quickly! H'm! Well, Master
Diamond has shown good taste, I must say. That little Rhoda is the
prettiest girl I know. And such a sweet, soft, lovable creature! I think
she's too good for him."
"It is a singular thing, but I have remarked very often that men in
general are apt to think pretty girls too good for anybody but
themselves!"
The doctor frowned, and then smiled. "Have you so, Saucebox?" he said.
"I don't know about her being too good for him," said Mrs. Bodkin, in
her quick, low tones; "but I suppose he knows very well what he is
about. Old Maxfield has feathered his nest very considerably. It will be
a very good match for a poor man like Matthew Diamond."
Mrs. Bodkin had for some time past exhibited symptoms of dislike to
Diamond. She never had a good word for him; she even was almost
rancorous against him at times, although she seldom allowed the feeling
to express itself in words before her daughter. Minnie understood it all
very well. "Poor mother!" she thought to herself, "she cannot forgive
him. I wish I could persuade her that there is nothing to forgive. How
could he help it if I was a fool?" Yet the mother and daughter had never
exchanged a word on the subject. And Minnie comforted herself with the
conviction that her mother was the only person in the world who guessed
her secret. "Mamma has a sixth sense where I am concerned," said she to
herself.
"I hope you said a good word for the lovers to Mr. Maxfield, papa," she
said aloud, in a clear, cheerful voice.
"I had not much to say. I told him that I thought Diamond stood a good
chance of getting Dorrington School."
"When will it be known positively, papa?"
"About Dorrington? Oh, before Christmas. I should say by the end of the
first week in December. Diamond will be a loss to me, but I shall be
glad of his promotion. He's a gentleman, and a very good fellow,
although his manner is a trifle self-opiniated. And," added the doctor,
shaking his head and lowering his voice as one does who is forced to
admit a painful truth, "I am sorry to say that his views as to the use
of the Digamma are by no means sound."
"Perhaps Rhoda won't find that a drawback to her happiness!" said
Minnie, laughing her sweet, musical laugh.
"Probably not, Puss!"
Then the Rev. Peter Warlock and Mr. Dockett dropped in. A whist-table
was made up in the drawing-room. The doctor and Mr. Dockett won three
rubbers out of four against Mrs. Bodkin and the curate. And the
latter--being seated where he could command a full view of Minnie as she
reclined near the fire with a book--made two revokes, and drew down upon
himself a very severe homily and a practical lecture or short course on
the science of whist, illustrated by all the errors he had made during
the evening, from Dr. Bodkin. For the doctor, although he liked to win,
cared not for inglorious victory, and was almost as indignant with his
opponents as with his partner for any symptom of slovenly play. The
Reverend Peter's brow grew serious, even to gloom, and it seemed to him
as if the doctor's scolding were almost more than human patience could
endure. "I don't mind losing my sixpences," thought the curate, "and I
could make up my mind to sacrificing an hour or two over those
accursed," (I'm afraid he did mentally use that strong expression!)
"those thrice-accursed bits of pasteboard. But to be lectured and
scolded at into the bargain----!" He arose from the green table with an
almost defiant sullenness.
However, when the tray was brought in and the victimised gentleman had
comforted his inner man with hot negus, and was at liberty to sip it in
close proximity to Miss Bodkin's chair, and had received one or two kind
looks from Miss Bodkin's eyes, and several kind words from Miss Bodkin's
lips, his heart grew soft within him, and he began to think that even
six, ten--a dozen rubbers of whist with the doctor would not be too high
a price to pay for these privileges! Then they talked of Diamond's
engagement to Rhoda--it had been spoken of all over Whitford hours
ago!--and of his prospects. And Mr. Warlock was quite effusive in his
rejoicings on both scores. He had been dimly jealous of Minnie's regard
for Diamond, and was heartily glad of the prospect of getting rid of
him. Mr. Dockett, too, seemed to think the match a desirable one. He
pursed up his mouth and looked knowing as he dropped a mysterious hint
as to the extent of Rhoda's dowry. "I made old Max's will myself," said
he; "and without violating professional secrecy, I may confirm what I
hear old Max bruits abroad at every opportunity--namely, that he is a
warm man--a very warm man in--deed! But I'm sure Mr. Diamond is a young
man of sound principles, and will make the girl a good husband. And it
is decided promotion for her too, you know. A grocer's daughter! Eh? I'm
sure I wish them well most sincerely." And shall we blame Mr. Dockett
if, in his fatherly anxiety, he rejoiced at the removal of a dangerous
rival to his little Ally, on whom young Pawkins had recently bestowed a
good deal of attention whenever Rhoda Maxfield was out of his reach?
"I never knew such a popular engagement," said Dr. Bodkin, innocently.
"Everybody seems to approve! One might almost fear it could not be a
case of true love, it runs so very smooth. There does not appear to be a
single objection."
"Except the Digamma, papa!"
"Except the Digamma," echoed the doctor merrily. And when he was alone
with his wife that night, he remarked to her that he was immensely
thankful to see the great improvement in their beloved child this
winter.
"Minnie is certainly stronger," said the mother.
"And in such excellent spirits!" said the father.