“Mrs. Filmer was devoting herself to a titled English lady. Harry was talking with a pretty widow. 121 None of Rose’s friends, but myself, saw the embryo tragedy. My dear, we are finite creatures, but the tricks we play before high heaven are infinite in their folly and variety. I see Cousin Peter coming. Stand to your wishes, Adriana; and teach your tongue to say what it really wants.”
There was little need for this encouragement. Peter understood what was required of him, and before Miss Alida had finished her request, he was looking into Adriana’s face with a smiling assent. Certainly the assent implied much self-denial; but not altogether self-denial. He was pleased that his daughter should have this great social pleasure; the more so, that she had been practically ignored in all the village festivities. Her education, her tastes and her manner were out of order with the smartness and giggling, setting the tone of the usual sleigh-rides and ice-cream parties. Even the literary society of Woodsome felt ill at ease when airing its learning before her. She had been educated above her surroundings, and it was less unkindness than a principle of self-defence which made her surroundings shy of her.
In some respects Peter was much gratified, then, at the invitation. Miss Van Hoosen was the bright particular star of the local celebrities of Woodsome; for though her residence was some miles beyond the village, she owned much property in it; and her influence was marked, and always favorable. For himself Peter had never boasted of their cousinship; but he could not help being a little uplifted at Adriana’s recognition. And if he thought of the gratification he would find in just naming the affair, in an incidental way, before Bogart and others, it was a bit of pride so natural and so unselfish as to merit a smiling toleration.
It was then decided that Adriana should go to New York on the following Monday; and Miss Alida went cheerfully away with the promise. “I hope to have Antony to meet you,” she said, as they parted, “for I shall write to him this very night.” And then turning to Peter she added, “I look forward with great delight to this new experience; for I have a large maternal instinct, and I intend to make myself believe that I have a son and daughter to settle in life.”
“I hope that your intention will bring you nothing but pleasure, and that it will end well.”
“I know not, Cousin Peter.” Her face became thoughtful, and she added, with some seriousness:
“The thing we intend is sure to bring with it lots of things we did not intend, and often of far superior importance; but——”
“Our times are always in His hand. We do not shape our own destiny, cousin.”
“Oh, indeed! I should like to dispute that point with you; but the train is no respecter of persons, so we must let its settlement wait on our convenience.”