I am happy to say my client, Miss Matilda, also left the shop
in an equally bewildered state, not having purchased either green
or red silk. Mr Holbrook was evidently full with honest loud-
spoken joy at meeting his old love again; he touched on the changes
that had taken place; he even spoke of Miss Jenkyns as "Your poor
sister! Well, well! we have all our faults"; and bade us good-bye
with many a hope that he should soon see Miss Matty again. She
went straight to her room, and never came back till our early tea-
time, when I thought she looked as if she had been crying.
CHAPTER IV--A VISIT TO AN OLD BACHELOR
A few days after, a note came from Mr Holbrook, asking us--
impartially asking both of us--in a formal, old-fashioned style, to
spend a day at his house--a long June day--for it was June now. He
named that he had also invited his cousin, Miss Pole; so that we
might join in a fly, which could be put up at his house.
I expected Miss Matty to jump at this invitation; but, no! Miss
Pole and I had the greatest difficulty in persuading her to go.
She thought it was improper; and was even half annoyed when we
utterly ignored the idea of any impropriety in her going with two
other ladies to see her old lover. Then came a more serious
difficulty.
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