"Breathing isn't quite the only necessary of life," said his wife; "and you were asking about play. I think a change would be play to me."
"Well, this is a change, or I don't know the meaning of the word. You've just come, and have not examined the ground yet. Must have a good market, if this fruit is any sign."
"There is no market or anything else, except what you can find in a little village. The strawberries come from Brierley House, where Dolly goes to get her play. As for me, who cannot run about, on my feet, or anyway, I sit here and wonder when she will be back again. Are we to have no carriage here, Mr. Copley?"
"We had better find out how you like it first, seems to me. Hardly worth while, if you're not going to stay."
Mr. Copley rose and sauntered out to the porch, and Dolly looked furtively at her mother. She saw a troubled, anxious face, lines of nervous unrest; she saw that her father's coming had not brought refreshment or relief; and truly she did not perceive why it should. Dolly was wholly inexperienced, in all but the butterfly life of very happy young years; nevertheless, she could not fail to read, or at least half read, some signs of another sort of life. She noticed that her father's manner wanted its ordinary careless, confident ease; there was something forced about it; his face bore tokens of loss of sleep, and had a trait of uneasiness most unwonted in Mr. Copley. Dolly sat still a little while, and then went out and joined her father in the porch. Mr. St. Leger had come in, so that she did not leave her mother alone. Dolly came close and laid her arm round her father's neck, her fingers playing with his hair; while he fondly threw one arm about her.
"How is it, Dolly?" he asked. "Don't you like it here?"
"I do, very much. But mother finds it very quiet. I think she would like to travel, father."
"Travel! But I can't go travelling. I cannot get away from London for more than a day. Quiet! I thought she wanted quiet. I heard of nothing but her want of quiet, till I got her down here; and now she wants noise."
"Not noise, exactly, but change."
"Well, what is this but change? as I said. I do not know what would please her."