The Paying Guest - George Gissing (story read aloud txt) š
- Author: George Gissing
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āDo you wish to go up very often, then?ā asked Emmeline, reflecting on her new responsibilities.
āOh! not every day, of course. But a season-ticket saves the bother each time, and you have a sort of feeling, you know, that you can be in town whenever you like.ā
It had not hitherto been the Mumfordsā wont to dress for dinner, but this evening they did so, and obviously to Miss Derrickās gratification. She herself appeared in a dress which altogether outshone that of her hostess. Afterwards, in private, she drew Emmelineās attention to this garb, and frankly asked her opinion of it.
āVery nice indeed,ā murmured the married lady, with a good-natured smile. āPerhaps a littleāā
āThere, I know what youāre going to say. You think itās too showy. Now I want you to tell me just what you think about everythingāeverything. I shanāt be offended. Iām not so silly. You know Iāve come here to learn all sorts of things. Tomorrow you shall go over all my dresses with me, and those you donāt like Iāll get rid of. Iāve never had anyone to tell me whatās nice and what isnāt. I want to beāoh, well, you know what I mean.ā
āBut, my dear,ā said Emmeline, āthereās something I donāt quite understand. You say Iām to speak plainly, and so I will. How is it that you havenāt made friends long ago with the sort of people you wish to know? It isnāt as if you were in poor circumstances.ā
āHow could I make friends with nice people when I was ashamed to have them at home? The best I know are quite poorāgirls I went to school with. Theyāre much better educated than I am, but they make their own living, and so I canāt see very much of them, and Iām not sure they want to see much of me. I wish I knew what people think of me; they call me vulgar, I believeāthe kind Iām speaking of. Now, do tell me, Mrs. Mumford, am I vulgar?ā
āMy dear Miss Derrickāā Emmeline began in protest, but was at once interrupted.
āOh! that isnāt what I want. You must call me Louise, or Lou, if you like, and just say what you really think. Yes, I see, I am rather vulgar, and what can you expect? Look at mother; and if you saw Mr. Higgins, oh! The mistake I made was to leave school so soon. I got sick of it, and left at sixteen, and of course the idiots at homeāI mean the foolish peopleālet me have my own way. Iām not clever, you know, and I didnāt get on well at school. They used to say I could do much better if I liked, and perhaps it was more laziness than stupidity, though I donāt care for booksāI wish I did. Iāve had lots of friends, but I never keep them for very long. I donāt know whether itās their fault or mine. My oldest friends are Amy Barker and Muriel Featherstone; they were both at the school at Clapham, and now Amy does type-writing in the City, and Muriel is at a photographerās. Theyāre awfully nice girls, and I like them so much; but then, you see, they havenāt enough money to live in what I call a nice way, and, you know, I should never think of asking them to advise me about my dresses, or anything of that kind. A friend of mine once began to say something and I didnāt like it; after that we had nothing to do with each other.ā
Emmeline could not hide her amusement.
āWell, thatās just it,ā went on the other frankly. āI have rather a sharp temper, and I suppose I donāt get on well with most people. I used to quarrel dreadfully with some of the girls at schoolāthe uppish sort. And yet all the time I wanted to be friends with them. But, of course, I could never have taken them home.ā
Mrs. Mumford began to read the girlās character, and to understand how its complexity had shaped her life. She was still uneasy as to the impression this guest would make upon their friends, but on the whole it seemed probable that Louise would conscientiously submit herself to instruction, and do her very best to be ānice.ā Clarenceās opinion was still favourable; he pronounced Miss Derrick āvery amusing,ā and less of a savage than his wifeās description had led him to expect.
Having the assistance of two servants and a nurse-girl, Emmeline was not overburdened with domestic work. She soon found it fortunate that her child, a girl of two years old, needed no great share of her attention; for Miss Derrick, though at first she affected an extravagant interest in the baby, very soon had enough of that plaything, and showed a decided preference for Emmelineās society out of sight and hearing of nursery affairs. On the afternoon of the second day they went together to call upon Mrs. Fentiman, who lived at a distance of a quarter of an hourās walk, in a house called āHazeldeneā; a semidetached house, considerably smaller than āRunnymede,ā and neither without nor within so pleasant to look upon. Mrs. Fentiman, a tall, hard-featured, but amiable lady, had two young children who occupied most of her time; at present one of them was ailing, and the mother could talk of nothing else but this distressing circumstance. The call lasted only for ten minutes, and Emmeline felt that her companion was disappointed.
āChildren are a great trouble,ā Louise remarked, when they had left the house. āPeople ought never to marry unless they can keep a lot of servants. Not long ago I was rather fond of somebody, but I wouldnāt have him because he had no money. Donāt you think I was quite right?ā
āI have no doubt you were.ā
āAnd now,ā pursued the girl, poking the ground with her sunshade as she walked, āthereās somebody else. And thatās one of the things I want to tell you about. He has about three hundred a year. It isnāt much, of course; but I suppose Mr. Higgins would give me something. And yet Iām sure it wonāt come to anything. Letās go home and have a good talk, shall we?ā
Mrs. Higginsās letter had caused Emmeline and her husband no little amusement; but at the same time it led them to reflect. Certainly they numbered among their acquaintances one or two marriageable young men who might perchance be attracted by Miss Derrick, especially if they learnt that Mr. Higgins was disposed to ābehave handsomelyā to his stepdaughter; but the Mumfords had no desire to see Louise speedily married. To the bribe with which the letter ended they could give no serious thought. Having secured their āpaying guest,ā they hoped she would remain with them for a year or two at least. But already Louise had dropped hints such as Emmeline could not fail to understand, and her avowal of serious interest in a lover came rather as an annoyance than a surprise to Mrs. Mumford.
It was a hot afternoon, and they had tea brought out into the garden, under the rustling leaves of the chestnut.
āYou donāt know anyone else at Sutton except Mrs. Fentiman?ā said Louise, as she leaned back in the wicker chair.
āNot intimately. But some of our friends from London will be coming on Sunday. Iāve asked four people to lunch.ā
āHow jolly! Of course youāll tell me all about them before then. But I want to talk about Mr. Cobb. Please, two lumps of sugar. Iāve known him for about a year and a half. We seem quite old friends, and he writes to me; I donāt answer the letters, unless thereās something to say. To tell the truth, I donāt like him.ā
āHow can that be if you seem old friends?ā
āWell, he likes me; and thereās no harm in that, so long as he understands. Iām sure you wouldnāt like him. Heās a rough, coarse sort of man, and has a dreadful temper.ā
āGood gracious! What is his position?ā
āOh, heās connected with the what-dāye-call-it Electric Lighting Company. He travels about a good deal. I shouldnāt mind that; it must be rather nice not to have oneās husband always at home. Just now I believe heās in Ireland. I shall be having a letter from him very soon, no doubt. He doesnāt know Iāve left home, and itāll make him wild. Yes, thatās the kind of man he is. Fearfully jealous, and such a temper! If I married him, Iām quite sure he would beat me some day.ā
āOh!ā Emmeline exclaimed. āHow can you have anything to do with such a man?ā
āHeās very nice sometimes,ā answered Louise, thoughtfully.
āBut do you really mean that he is ārough and coarseā?ā
āYes, I do. You couldnāt call him a gentleman. Iāve never seen his people; they live somewhere a long way off; and I shouldnāt wonder if they are a horrid lot. His last letter was quite insulting. He saidālet me see, what was it? YesāāYou have neither heart nor brains, and I shall do my best not to waste another thought on you?ā What do you think of that?ā
āIt seems very extraordinary, my dear. How can he write to you in that way if you never gave him any encouragement?ā
āWell, but I suppose I have done. Weāve met on the Common now and then, andāand that kind of thing. Iām afraid youāre shocked, Mrs. Mumford. I know it isnāt the way that nice people behave, and Iām going to give it up.ā
āDoes your mother know him?ā
āOh, yes! thereās no secret about it. Mother rather likes him. Of course he behaves himself when heās at the house. Iāve a good mind to ask him to call here so that you could see him. Yes, I should like you to sea him. You wouldnāt mind?ā
āNot if you really wish it, Louise. ButāI canāt help thinking you exaggerate his faults.ā
āNot a bit. Heās a regular brute when he gets angry.ā
āMy dear,ā Emmeline interposed softly, āthat isnāt quite a ladylike expression.ā
āNo, it isnāt. Thank you, Mrs. Mumford. I meant to say he is horridāvery disagreeable. Then thereās something else I want to tell you about. Cissy Higginsāthatās Mr. Higginsās daughter, you knowāis half engaged to a man called Bowlingāan awful idiotāā
āI donāt think I would use that word, dear.ā
āThank you, Mrs. Mumford. I mean to say heās a regular silly. But heās in a very good positionāa partner in Jannaway Brothers of Woolwich, though he isnāt thirty yet. Well, now, what do you think? Mr. Bowling doesnāt seem to know his own mind, and just lately heās been paying so much attention to me that Cissy has got quite frantic about it. This was really and truly the reason why I left home.ā
āI see,ā murmured the listener, with a look of genuine interest.
āYes. They wanted to get me out of the way. There wasnāt the slightest fear that I should try to cut Cissy Higgins out; but it was getting very awkward for her, I admit. Now thatās the kind of thing that doesnāt go on among nice people, isnāt it?ā
āBut what do you mean, Louise, when you say that Miss Higgins and Mr.āMr. Bowling are half engaged?ā
āOh, I mean she has refused him once, just for formās sake; but he knows very well she means to have him. People of your kind donāt do that sort of thing, do they?ā
āI hardly know,ā Emmeline replied, colouring a
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