Jl^^^Liisjwrwl Cofioucteo-BY
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HE-STOi^-QE- Q1IE\: JLl^ffiS •JMpMY]5AEV;ZD ^I\J' Jl^^^liisjwrwl COfiOUCTEO-BY ^ITH WBICH IS |^COl\POl^TED SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1870 you will exert it, to save us, and him, from THE DOCTOR'S MIXTURE. these disagreeable scenes. We have now been obliged to give him fair warning that BOOK III. if he persists in forcing himself upon us, we CHAPTER XIV. ALLIES ON A VISIT. shall be obUged to have recourse to some WE may be certain that the band of severe measures to protect our house " menials pronounced that Mrs. Leader was Katey had not forgiven her insults. in her "tantrums" aU that day. When " Why do you address this to me ? What the enemy had been routed she feU on the can I do ? He is the only doctor near us, unhappy Mr. Leader with infinite scorn, and if it be necessary " rigour, and contempt, upbraiding him for " Absurd! Cecil is quite well now. But his poor, pitiful spirit — his meanness— I have not come here to get into discus who would allow himself to be hectored sions on these matters; I am mistress in and bullied by a low schemer like that. this house, as yet at least. And as you A pretty protector he was to her, who had have chosen to force yourself on us, you to do everything herself, and to save the shaU submit to me, or, as I stand here, I house from intruders like this ! He had shall begin a course of training with you not a spark of courage. this very day. You wUl do weU to lay " What is to be the end of it all ?" asked aside these airs in good time, for I am the lady, furiously. " Are you going to resolved to rule here, madam !" admit all the mob into your house, or must " You may treat me as you please," said I pay people to protect me, since my hus Katey, " and I shall do my best to try and band wiU not?" please you. Why should you feel this ani Mr. Leader received this attack help mosity against me ? If I have offended you, lessly. UnhappUy, his daughter was not I will ask your pardon." there to draw off the fire; so he behaved " Oh, that is aU childish sentiment. It rather pitifully, and, Uke many in his situa would be very convenient to you, no doubt, tion, shifted the blame on to the absent. to have everything going smoothly now, " I really don't know how to treat these after haring done all this mischief—ruined people; it is most unwarrantable. I have the prospects of a great family, which you told him again and again. Bringing about were only fit to enter as a governess. Yes, all this fass and confusion. I can't help it, you know it! you are the daughter of a you know, if a man has no decency or mere country-town doctor, and with these gentlemanly feeling, and " intrigues you have all entrapped our son— Mrs. Leader was not inclined to press so don't think you shaU carry it off so her advantage further, and with a con Ughtly, or with such an air." temptuous look turned away to superin " I am Mr. Leader's son's wife, and it is tend the grand preparations for the dis unworthy of you to address me in such a tinguished guests who were coming. She style," said Katey, turnmg round and first sought the woman whom of all people quitting the room. in the world she hated. Mrs. Leader looked after her with a smUe " If you have any influence with Doctor of content. She laid out for herself a Findlater," she said, coldly, " I must request pleasant prospect in perpetual encounters lima I i, ^55 •H«iil ^ V01.IV. 104 602 pfovemherise, 1870.] ALL THB YEAR ROUND [Conducted by of thifisort, whenfibe SPO«M graduaUy ^isd. ;gihe heard a great xdiatter of tongues, bub down this creature to -Skhe <very dust. That as fliie entflBefl. fflsea^ was a sudden stiUness. evening's post baa^M; a letter from Iter AiU the faeesB weise iturnsd ]bo hfir. They frieod, £<ady ^eanttin, laaanoEBiacing that sfhe wflpe aU foes, and. Lady Sesanaaa regarded •wwBfld ie (iowii on 'Sie next day, and that herewith a haughty contao^, aswhe Aould sherTWudsdlferiiiglieriearasin, Jessie Fo.5?sytihe, •say, "What does this meaaf" Sparks wh.o, ^otna ber Hveliness, would be a great of anger shot from Mrs. Leadeiffs eyes. addition to the party. Further, thisJady Thete was " a great awkwardness,'*\aB«ven added, that she had some great news >t© Mr. Leader felt. But Mary Leader at once tefl'her dear Mrs. Leader. rose, and saying half aloud, " Papa, won't Aeeordingly, the next evening a need you introduce Katey ?" ran to her, and lessly iacge supply of carriages—the family brought her forward. The ceremonies had. omnibus, waggonette, &c.—went to meet therefore to be gone through. Katey, ua-, the august party and their baggage. It used to these rites of official society, had,' was state day at Leadersfort—full uni however, confidence, and acquitted herself form of the menials. Lady Seaman, her perfectly. The two Ladies Mariner received daughters, and the young lord, with Miss her with sniffs, that poUte and suspicious Forsythe, were the first instalment of the form interrogatory, often found very con party. Miss For.sythe wae a young lady of fusing. But, after this interruption, things singular sprightliness andrivacity, qualities, settled down into the old course. however, which required the steel of male What attracted K!atey most, as she looked society to strike them out. This young lady round wondering and bewUdered, was the was of rather a cloudy age, " with one foot," new young lady. Miss Jessie Forsythe, ihe as the Doctor would have said, " over the top sound of whose tongue, and what she her of the stile, neither this side of it nor that;" self would call a ringing laugh, seemed Uke neither old nor young, but on the narrow, the busy rattle of a large sewing-machine. debatable gi-ound. However, she bewildered The play of feature, of gesture, the inflec her spectators so opportunely by her ener tions of her voice, were unflagging, and getic spirits, that no one, after a moment, Katey noted, with a Uttle wonder, that this' could reflect on this nice question, and if he light artillery was all being played on Mr. did think of it later, had only his recollec Leader, whom the young lady had driven tion to go upon. into a corner, and to whom her attentions This party, then, took possession of the seemed not at all unacceptable. house. Katey, more a stranger in that man The dinner was on the usual grand sion than they were, heard all the fuss and Leader scale, which was exhibited Uke the noise of then' arrival. CecU, her husband, state liveries on such splendid occasions, now pretty well recovered, was eager to get though when at home and by themselves up and assert his position. It was while she it was said—at least by the servants—'that was gently combating this desire, he urging a certain stinginess and penuriousness pre it very pettishly, that Mary Leader came to vailed. All through that meal Mrs. Leader the door, and taking her into the dressing- inquired, in her gentle, plaintive way, about room, spoke with her hurriedly : a dear lady whose acquaintance had cost " You must come down to-night and her about five hundred pounds; or a charm be on the watch, for a great many things ing duchess, for whose rare nod, and more wiU be carried on. So you must be always frequent stare of non-recognition, she had present, and watchful after his and your paid considerably more. However, even own interests. Mind and come down." that meagre shape of "living near the Every moment our Katey felt her gentle rose" was very acceptable, in lieu of better soul roused, growing more and more re things, and a deal of intimate conversation solved and rigid, as it were, for she was went on concerning many distinguished conscious of Mrs. Leader's bitter animosity, leaders of fashionable Ufe, of whom Mrs. and had seen the gleam of hatred in her Leader had about the same familiar know eyes. S-he knew, too, that this was only the ledge that a diligent newspaper reader has of beginning, and the hint that Mary Leader crowned heads and crown princes, Katey, had given her warned her that she must solitary and bewildered, listened t® this prepare for a miserable struggle against "clackit." Mrs. Leader studiously over persecution and mortification. She pro looked her. Beside Mr. Leader was the riva- ceeded at once to array herself, and, as the cious Jessie, never ceasing, never tiring, bat hour approached, went down-staUs, and with a studious obsequiousness to him, and quietly entered the drawing-room. a frequent "Now, do tell me about that, Mr. '^ =& OliaWes Dickens, Jun.] THE DOCTOR'S MIXTURE. [November 26,187a] 603 Leader." When Lady Seaman had told of the wig seemed to flock about him, and some anecdote about a lady who had married his daughter, with Katey and the more into fashionable society, and who had been artificial Jessie, listened with attention; as the daughter of old Judge Badminton (this for the latter, her delight, and enjoyment, relationship mentioned merely par paren- and rapture were indescribable. It seemed these), Mr.