"
"I hope he doesn't abuse her to you," said the Doctor; "for I am told
he lives upon her."
"Lives upon her?"
"Lives with her, and does nothing for himself; it is about the same
thing."
"He is looking for a position--most earnestly," said Mrs. Penniman.
"He hopes every day to find one."
"Precisely. He is looking for it here--over there in the front
parlour. The position of husband of a weak-minded woman with a large
fortune would suit him to perfection!"
Mrs. Penniman was truly amiable, but she now gave signs of temper.
She rose with much animation, and stood for a moment looking at her
brother. "My dear Austin," she remarked, "if you regard Catherine as
a weak-minded woman, you are particularly mistaken!" And with this
she moved majestically away.
CHAPTER IX
It was a regular custom with the family in Washington Square to go
and spend Sunday evening at Mrs. Almond's. On the Sunday after the
conversation I have just narrated, this custom was not intermitted
and on this occasion, towards the middle of the evening, Dr. Sloper
found reason to withdraw to the library, with his brother-in-law, to
talk over a matter of business. He was absent some twenty minutes,
and when he came back into the circle, which was enlivened by the
presence of several friends of the family, he saw that Morris
Townsend had come in and had lost as little time as possible in
seating himself on a small sofa, beside Catherine.
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