'Mr Gibson,' said she, 'it's your Molly I'm so grieved about.It's out now, and God help us both, and the poor child too, for I'm sure she's been led astray, and not gone wrong by her own free will!'
'Molly!' said he, fighting against her words.'What's my little Molly been doing or saying?'
'Oh! Mr Gibson, I don't know how to tell you.I never would have named it, if I had not been convinced, sorely, sorely against my will.'
'At any rate, you can let me hear what you have heard,' said he, putting his elbow on the table, and screening his eyes with his hand.'Not that I am a bit afraid of anything you can hear about my girl,' continued he.
'Only in this little nest of gossip it's as well to know what people are talking about.'
'They say - oh! how shall I tell you?'
'Go on, can't you?' said he, removing his hand from his blazing eyes.
'I'm not going to believe it, so don't be afraid!'
'But I fear you must believe it.I would not if I could help it.She's been carrying on a clandestine correspondence with Mr Preston! -- '
'Mr Preston!' exclaimed he.
'And meeting him at all sorts of unseemly places and hours out of doors, - in the dark, - fainting away in his - his arms, if I must speak out.
All the town is talking of it.' Mr Gibson's hand was over his eyes again, and he made no sign; so Miss Browning went on, adding touch to touch.'Mr Sheepshanks saw them together.They have exchanged notes in Grinstead's shop; she ran after him there.'
'Be quiet, can't you?' said Mr Gibson, taking his hand away, and showing his grim set face.'I have heard enough.Don't go on.I said I shouldn't believe it, and I don't.I suppose I must thank you for telling me; but I can't yet.'
'I don't want your thanks,' said Miss Browning, almost crying.'I thought you ought to know; for though you're married again, I can't forget you were dear Mary's husband once upon a time; and Molly's her child.'
'I'd rather not speak any more about it just at present,' said he, not at all replying to Miss Browning's last speech.'I may not control myself as I ought.I only wish I could meet Preston, and horsewhip him within an inch of his life.I wish I'd the doctoring of these slanderous gossips.
I'd make their tongues lie still for a while.My little girl! What harm has she done them all, that they should go and foul her fair name.'
'Indeed, Mr Gibson, I'm afraid it's all true.I would not have sent for you if I hadn't examined into it.Do ascertain the truth before you do anything violent, such as horsewhipping or poisoning.'
With all the inconséquence of a man in a passion, Mr Gibson laughed out, 'What have I said about horsewhipping or poisoning? Do you think I'd have Molly's name dragged about the stree ts in connection with any act of violence on my part.Let the report die away as it arose.Time will prove its falsehood.'
'But I don't think it will, and that's the pity of it,' said Miss Browning.
'You must do something, but I don't know what.'
'I shall go home and ask Molly herself what's the meaning of it all;that's all I shall do.It's too ridiculous - knowing Molly as I do, it's perfectly ridiculous.' He got up and walked about the room with hasty steps, laughing short unnatural laughs from time to time.'Really what will they say next? "Satan finds some mischief still for idle tongues to do."'
'Don't talk of Satan, please, in this house.No one knows what may happen, if he's lightly spoken about,' pleaded Miss Browning.
He went on, without noticing her, talking to himself, - 'I've a great mind to leave the place; - and what food for scandal that piece of folly would give rise to!' Then he was silent for a time; his hands in his pockets, his eyes on the ground, as he continued his quarter-deck march.Suddenly he stopped close to Miss Browning's chair.'I'm thoroughly ungrateful to you, for as true a mark of friendship as you've ever shown to me.True or false, it was right I should know the wretched scandal that was being circulated; and it could not have been pleasant for you to tell it me.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.'
'Indeed, Mr Gibson, if it was false I would never have named it, but let it die away.'
'It's not true though!' said he, doggedly, letting drop the hand he had taken in his effusion of gratitude.
She shook her head.'I shall always love Molly for her mother's sake,'
she said.And it was a great concession from the correct Miss Browning.
But her father did not understand it as such.
'You ought to love her for her own.She has done nothing to disgrace herself.I shall go straight home, and probe into the truth.'
'As if the poor girl who has been led away into deceit already would scruple much at going on in falsehood,' was Miss Browning's remark on this last speech of Mr Gibson's; but she had discretion enough not to make it until he was well out of hearing.