He saw his patient, gave his directions to the housekeeper, and then went out, with a rare wild-flower in his hand, to find one of the ladies Tranmere in the garden, where, according to his hope and calculation, he came upon Lady Cumnor too - now talking to her daughter about the contents of an open letter which she held in her hand, now directing a gardener about certain bedding-out plants.'I was calling to see Nanny, and I took the opportunity of bringing Lady Agnes the plant I was telling her about as growing on Cumnor Moss.' 'Thank you so much, Mr.Gibson.Mamma, look! this is the Drosera rotundifolia I have been wanting so long.' 'Ah! yes; very pretty I daresay, only I am no botanist.Nanny is better, I hope? We can't have any one laid up next week, for the house will be quite full of people - and here are the Danbys waiting to offer themselves as well.One comes down for a fortnight of quiet, at Whitsuntide, and leaves half one's establishment in town, and as soon as people know of our being here, we get letters without end, longing for a breath of country air, or saying how lovely the Towers must look in spring; and I must own, Lord Cumnor is a great deal to blame for it all, for as soon as ever we are down here, he rides about to all the neighbours, and invites them to come over and spend a few days.' 'We shall go back to town on Friday the 18th,' said Lady Agnes, in a consolatory tone.'Ah, yes! as soon as we have got over the school visitors' affair.But it is a week to that happy day.' 'By the way!' said Mr.Gibson, availing himself of the good opening thus presented, 'I met my lord at the Cross-trees Farm yesterday, and he was kind enough to ask my little daughter, who was with me, to be one of the party here on Thursday; it would give the lassie great pleasure, I believe.'
第5章 THE DAWN OF A GALA DAY (3)（2 / 3）