Chapter XX.
Mr. Fenwick's Proceedings.
I have his Face before me this Minute! My Mother was wont to say, "Mr. Fenwick had smiling Eyes," but I protest I found they could cut me to the Heart. I ran up-Stairs as soon as ever he was gone, and had a good Cry by my own Bed-side; and wondered what on Earth could have made me so knaggy and upsettish.
When I went down, Prue was still in the Shop; and seeing me with red Eyes, I dare say she thought I had been crying about Dr. Elwes. I hadn't, however! There were Customers buying Buns, so I left her to attend to them, and returned to the Parlour; and there, who should there be, sitting at the Window and smelling to some Primroses, but Mr. Fenwick! I declare I started as if it had been his Ghost.
"Well," says he smiling, "I've soon come back again.... Why, Patty!—I do believe you've been shedding Tears!"
"What of that, Sir?" said I, ready to begin again.
"Only this," said he, "that I am very glad of it, because it seems as if you were sorry for the little Tiff we had just now—And I'm sorry too, and came back expressly to say so. But perhaps I'm mistaken, and these Tears were not about the Tiff, but about Dr. Elwes ... hey, Patty?"
I shook my Head.
"Well then, all's right," said he, taking my Hand, and drawing me towards the Window. "I'm sure I regret the old Gentleman as much as any one can be expected to do who cared very little about him; but the Fact is, I was selfishly preoccupied with a Piece of good Fortune that had happened to myself, and which, you see, I could not be easy till I had made you a Party to. How is it I care about telling you, Patty? How is it you were the first Person whose Sympathy I wanted to secure? hey?"
"I'm sure I can't tell, Sir."