"She's a good
girl, Molly is," he added simply. "For all her quick words an' ways
thar ain't a better girl livin'."
"We are very sure of that," said Mr. Chamberlayne, speaking in Gay's
place. "She is a kinswoman any of us may be proud of owning." And going
a step nearer to her, he began explaining her father's wishes in the
shortest words at his command.
They were all kind--all honestly anxious to do their duty in aiding the
atonement of old Jonathan. Their faces, their voices, their gestures,
revealed an almost painful effort to make her appear at ease. Yet in
spite of their irreproachable intentions, each one of them was perfectly
aware that the visit was very far from being a success. They admired her
sincerely, but with the exception of Gay, who was bothered by few moral
prejudices, they were one and all nervously constrained in manner. To
Mr. Chamberlayne she represented merely an attractive object of charity;
to Kesiah she appeared as an encroaching member of the inferior order;
to Mrs. Gay she embodied the tragic disillusionment of her life. In time
they would either forget these first impressions or grow accustomed to
them; but while she stood there, awkward and blushing, in the middle of
the library, where old Jonathan had worked out his repentance, even the
lawyer found his legal eloquence tripping confusedly on his tongue, and
turned at last in sheer desperation to stare with a sensation of relief
at the frowning countenance of Kesiah.
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