- He spoke with a Scotch accent; therefore, he must be Scotch.He had a very genteel appearance, an elegant figure, and was apt - so his ill-wishers said - to give himself airs.Therefore, his father must have been some person of quality; and, that granted, nothing was easier than to run this supposition up all the notes of the scale of the peerage, - baronet, baron, viscount, earl, marquis, duke.Higher they dared not go, though one old lady, acquainted with English history, hazarded the remark, that 'she believed that one or two of the Stuarts - hem - had not always been, - ahem - quite correct in their - conduct; and she fancied such - ahem - things ran in families.' But, in popular opinion, Mr Gibson's father always remained a duke; nothing more.Then his mother must have been a Frenchwoman, because his hair was so black;and he was so sallow; and because he had been in Paris.All this might be true, or might not; nobody ever knew, or found out anything more about him than what Mr Hall told them, namely, that his professional qualifications were as high as his moral character, and that both were far above the average, as Mr Hall had taken pains to ascertain before introducing him to his patients.
第14章 MOLLY GIBSONS CHILDHOOD (1)(2 / 2)