“Oh, John,” said Emily, impetuously, “how like you!”
“What? To forget the name?” said Harrington, innocently, misled by her tone. “Indeed, no. I usually remember names very well”—
“’Psha! no,” replied Emily, laughing at his simplicity. “But to visit the poor man, and have his family taken care of. You, a perfect stranger to them all. Now, I should like to know who beside you would have felt called upon to interest himself in such a matter?”
“Oh, pooh! A mere trifle,” said Harrington, reddening, and looking extremely uncomfortable. “Hundreds of people would have done the same thing. It was Mrs. Eastman and Muriel who did the real work in this case. So, you see, there are more more willing hearts and hands than mine in the world.”
“I wonder if my grand Lord Bacon, Baron Verulam, and Viscount St. Albans would have interested himself in the plebeian Driscolls,” said Wentworth, slily, aiming a hit at Harrington’s favorite.
“Indeed he would,” replied Harrington, with great animation. “It is recorded of him that no case of distress ever came under his notice without being promptly relieved. Verulam played Providence well, till the bloat king, and the pack of Conservatives ruined him. Yes, till then, and afterward, till he left the globe. Bacon was the Theodore Parker of his time, plus the Verulamio-Shakspearean intellect—so don’t you say one word in his dispraise, Master Wentworth, or you and I shall quarrel.”
Wentworth laughed at the gay threat, and said no more.
“Revenons à nos moutons—let us return to our Southdowns,” said Muriel, playfully. “I had a talk with Roux, John, of which I was going to tell you when our company came this morning, and I haven’t had a chance since. The sum and substance of which is, that Roux is alive to his danger in Boston, and consents to go to Worcester. So on Monday, John, you must transport him and Antony there, find them a boarding-house, see Mr. Higginson about them, and let them be looking out for a house and occupation, while we arrange to send on the wife and children after them. So there’s work laid out for you, my husband!”
“Bravo!” cried Harrington, joyfully. “I’ll attend to it.”