“Exactly so, sir.”
“I’ll tell Susannah Temple when I see
her, that she may form some idea of your constancy,”
replied Mr Masterton, smiling. “Why, what
a dog in the manger you must be—you can’t
marry them both. Still, under the circumstances,
I can analyse the feeling—it is natural,
but all that is natural is not always creditable to
human nature. Let us talk a little about Susannah,
and then all these vagaries will be dispersed.
How old is she?”
Mr Masterton plied me with so many questions relative
to Susannah, that her image alone soon filled my mind,
and I recovered my spirits. “I don’t
know what she will say, at my being in this dress,
sir,” observed I. “Had I not better
change it on my arrival?”
“By no means; I’ll fight your battle—I
know her character pretty well, thanks to your raving
about her.”
Contains much learned argument upon
broad-brims and garments of grey—I
get the best of it—The one great wish of
my life is granted—I meet my father,
and a cold reception very indicative of much
after-heat.
We arrived in good time at Reading, and, as soon as
we alighted at the inn, we ordered dinner, and then
walked down to the shop, where we found Timothy very
busy tying down and labelling. He was delighted
to see Mr Masterton, and perceiving that I had laid
aside the Quaker’s dress, made no scruple of
indulging in his humour, making a long face, and thee-ing
and thou-ing Mr Masterton in a very absurd manner.
We desired him to go to Mr Cophagus, and beg that
he would allow me to bring Mr Masterton to drink tea,
and afterwards to call at the inn and give us the answer.
We then returned to our dinner.
“Whether they will ever make a Quaker of you,
Japhet, I am very doubtful,” observed Mr Masterton,
as we walked back; “but as for making one of
that fellow Timothy, I’ll defy them.”
“He laughs at everything,” replied I:
“and views everything in a ridiculous light—at
all events, they never will make him serious.”
In the evening, we adjourned to the house of Mr Cophagus,
having received a message of welcome. I entered
the room first. Susannah came forward to welcome
me, and then drew back, when she perceived the alteration
in my apparel, colouring deeply. I passed her,
and took the hand of Mrs Cophagus and her husband,
and then introduced Mr Masterton.
“We hardly knew thee, Japhet,” mildly
observed Mrs Cophagus.
“I did not think that outward garments would
disguise me from my friends,” replied I; “but
so it appeareth, for your sister hath not even greeted
me in welcome.”
“I greet thee in all kindness, and all sincerity,
Japhet Newland,” replied Susannah, holding out
her hand. “Yet did I not imagine that, in
so short a time, thou wouldst have dismissed the apparel
of our persuasion, neither do I find it seemly.”
