He has put me
off. I am come home to be married."
This was a more authoritative speech than she had ever heard on her
niece's lips, and Mrs. Penniman was proportionately startled. She
was indeed a little awestruck, and the force of the girl's emotion
and resolution left her nothing to reply. She was easily frightened,
and she always carried off her discomfiture by a concession; a
concession which was often accompanied, as in the present case, by a
little nervous laugh.
CHAPTER XXVI
If she had disturbed her niece's temper--she began from this moment
forward to talk a good deal about Catherine's temper, an article
which up to that time had never been mentioned in connexion with our
heroine--Catherine had opportunity, on the morrow, to recover her
serenity. Mrs. Penniman had given her a message from Morris
Townsend, to the effect that he would come and welcome her home on
the day after her arrival. He came in the afternoon; but, as may be
imagined, he was not on this occasion made free of Dr. Sloper's
study. He had been coming and going, for the past year, so
comfortably and irresponsibly, that he had a certain sense of being
wronged by finding himself reminded that he must now limit his
horizon to the front parlour, which was Catherine's particular
province.
"I am very glad you have come back," he said; "it makes me very happy
to see you again." And he looked at her, smiling, from head to foot;
though it did not appear, afterwards, that he agreed with Mrs.
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