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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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388 two calculations agreed, so Mrs Nickleby had no excuse for talking. ‘You are a good temper?’ asked Mrs Wititterly, opening her eyes for an instant, and shutting them again. ‘I hope so,’ rejoined Kate. ‘And have a highly respectable reference for everything, have you?’ Kate replied that she had, and laid her uncle’s card upon the table. ‘Have the goodness to draw your chair a little nearer, and let me look at you,’ said Mrs Wititterly; ‘I am so very nearsighted that I can’t quite discern your features.’ Kate complied, though not without some embarrassment, with this request, and Mrs Wititterly took a languid survey of her countenance, which lasted some two or three minutes. ‘I like your appearance,’ said that lady, ringing a little bell. ‘Alphonse, request your master to come here.’ The page disappeared on this errand, and after a short interval, during which not a word was spoken on either side, opened the door for an important gentleman of about eight-and-thirty, of rather plebeian countenance, and with a very light head of hair, who leant over Mrs Wititterly for a little time, and conversed with her in whispers. ‘Oh!’ he said, turning round, ‘yes. This is a most important matter. Mrs Wititterly is of a very excitable nature; very delicate, very fragile; a hothouse plant, an exotic.’ ‘Oh! Henry, my dear,’ interposed Mrs Wititterly. ‘You are, my love, you know you are; one breath--’ said Mr W., blowing an imaginary feather away. ‘Pho! you’re gone!’ |
