Mrs Crawley read the letter. ‘I suppose
you answered it?’
’Yes, I answered it. It was very bad,
my letter. I should think after all that he
will never want to have anything more to say to me.
I tried for two days, but I could not write a nice
letter.’
‘But what did you say?’
’I don’t in the least remember.
It does not in the least signify now, but it was such
a bad letter.’
‘I daresay it was very nice.’
‘It was terribly stiff, and all about a gentleman.’
‘All about a gentleman! What do you mean,
my dear?’
’Gentleman is such a frightful word to have
to use to a gentleman; but I did not know what else
to say. Mamma, if you please, we won’t talk
about it;—not about the letter, I mean.
As for him, I’ll talk about him for ever if
you like it. I don’t mean to be a bit broken-hearted.’
‘It seems to me that he is a gentleman.’
’Yes, mamma, that he is; and it is that which
makes me so proud. When I think of it, I can
hardly hold myself. But now I’ve told you
everything, and I’ll go away, and go to bed.’
MR TOOGOOD TRAVELS PROFESSIONALLY
Mr Toogood paid another visit to Barsetshire, in order
that he might get a little further information which
he thought would be necessary before despatching his
nephew upon the traces of Dean Arabin and his wife.
He went down to Barchester after his work was over
by an evening train, and put himself up at ‘The
Dragon of Wantly’, intending to have the whole
of the next day for his work. Mr Walker had asked
him to come and take a return potluck dinner with
Mrs Walker at Silverbridge; and this he had said that
he would do. After having ‘rummaged about
for tidings’ in Barchester, as he called it,
he would take the train for Silverbridge, and would
get back to town in time for business on the third
day. ’One day won’t be much, you
know,’ he said to his partner, as he made half
an apology for absenting himself on business which
was not to be in any degree remunerative. ’That
sort of thing is very well when one does it without
any expense’ said Crump. ‘So it is,’
said Toogood; ’and the expense won’t make
it any worse.’ He had made up his mind,
and it was not probable that anything Mr Crump might
say would deter him.
He saw John Eames before he started. ’You’ll
be ready this day week, will you?’ John Eames
promised that he would. ’It will cost you
some forty pounds, I should say. By George—if
you have to go on to Jerusalem, it will cost you more.’
In answer to this, Johnny pleaded that it would be
as good as any other tour to him. He would see
the world. ‘I’ll tell you what,’
said Toogood; ’I’ll pay half. Only
you mustn’t tell Crump. And it will be
quite as well not to tell Maria.’ But Johnny
would hear nothing of this scheme. He would pay
the entire cost of his own journey. He had lots
