
would have a salutary effect on her niece, without thinking it her duty to add
any bitters by way of increasing the salutariness. They had both been busy
devising how to get blinds and curtains for the cottage out of the household
stores; but with delicate feeling they left these matters in the background, and
talked at first of Gwendolen's journey, and the comfort it was to her mamma to
have her at home again.
    In fact there was nothing for Gwendolen to take as a justification for
extending her discontent with events to the persons immediately around her, and
she felt shaken into a more alert attention, as if by a call to drill that
everybody else was obeying, when her uncle began in a voice of firm kindness to
talk to her of the efforts he bad been making to get her a situation which would
offer her as many advantages as possible. Mr. Gascoigne had not forgotten
Grandcourt, but the possibility of further advances from that quarter was
something too vague for a man of his good sense to be determined by it:
uncertainties of that kind must not now slacken his action in doing the best he
could for his niece under actual conditions.
    »I felt that there was no time to be lost, Gwendolen; - for a position in a
good family where you will have some consideration is not to be had at a
moment's notice. And however long we waited we could hardly find one where you
would be better off than at Bishop Mompert's. I am known to both him and Mrs.
Mompert, and that of course is an advantage for you. Our correspondence has gone
on favourably; but I cannot be surprised that Mrs. Mompert wishes to see you
before making an absolute engagement. She thinks of arranging for you to meet
her at Wanchester when she is on her way to town. I daresay you will feel the
interview rather trying for you, my dear; but you will have a little time to
prepare your mind.«
    »Do you know why she wants to see me, uncle?« said Gwendolen, whose mind had
quickly gone over various reasons that an imaginary Mrs. Mompert with three
daughters might be supposed to entertain, reasons all of a disagreeable kind to
the person presenting herself for inspection.
    The Rector smiled. »Don't be alarmed, my dear. She would like to have a more
precise idea of you than my report can give. And a mother is naturally
scrupulous about a companion for her daughters. I have told her you are very
young. But she herself exercises a close supervision over her daughters'
