CHAPTER I., II., III., IV., V., VI., VII., VIII., IX., X., XI., XII., XIII., XIV., XV.
MRS. ARTHUR.
BY
MRS. OLIPHANT,
AUTHOR OF
“The Chronicles of Carlingford,”
&c. &c.
And dart not scornful glances from those eyes.
. . . . . . .
A woman mov’d is like a fountain troubled.”
TAMING OF THE SHREW.
DIBDIN.
IN THREE VOLUMES.
VOL. I.
LONDON:
HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS,
13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.
1877.
All rights reserved.
{1}
MRS. ARTHUR.
CHAPTER I.
“IS Mr. Curtis here?” said a voice at the door.
The door was so near the sitting-room that every demand made there waseasily heard, and even answered from within; and, indeed, Mrs. Bates wasin the habit of calling out an answer when it happened to be beyond thepowers of the daughter or small servant who opened. But this questionwas one about which there was no difficulty. It was followed by a heartylaugh from the assembled family.
“I should think he was—rather!” said{2} Charley Bates, the son; and “AskNancy,” said Matilda, the eldest daughter.
There was a considerable number of people in the little parlour—to wit,Mr. Bates in his big chair on one side of the fire, sippingrum-and-water, and reading a newspaper which was soft and crumpled withthe usage of the day at the nearest public-house; and Mrs. Bates on theother, seated between the fireplace and the table, mending the stockingsof the family. Charley was reading an old yellow novel behind hismother, and Matilda was making her winter bonnet with a quantity ofmaterials in a large piece of paper on the table, which was covered witha red and green cloth. It was October, and not cold, but there was afire, and a branched gas pendant with two lights, shed heat as well aslight into the close little room. There was another daughter, SarahJane, who was coming and going about the table, now and then makingincursions into the kitchen; and behind backs in the corner, on a blackhaircloth{3} sofa against the wall, were seated the pair of lovers. No one