'And we hope to have the additional pleasure,' continued Mrs. Hamblin, all smiles, but with a shrewd perception of what was passing across her companion's mind, 'of making the acquaintance of your charming sister. Miss Irvine is quite a stranger to Mr. Hamblin, and though I have seen her once, it is true, it was for a moment only. I have constantly looked forward to meeting her again, but I have always been disappointed. Now you must bring her with you, and I have promised myself a great treat, for I am sure she must be as agreeable as she is pretty.'
Mrs. Chadwick was much confused at this move, and could not understand Mrs. Hamblin's motive for it. Spiridion she knew would naturally be at the dinner, and she could not define Mrs. Hamblin's object in throwing Eleanor in his way.
That there was an object, however, she was certain, and it was accordingly somewhat coldly that she replied, 'I will be the bearer of your message, of course, with much pleasure, but I can hardly hope that it will have any satisfactory result, for my sister resolutely refuses to go into society.'
'That I can perfectly understand,' said Mrs. Hamblin, 'as she is young and inexperienced, and has not the necessity, like you, to hide her own griefs and feelings in order to play an important part in the world; but such a little family gathering as I propose cannot be called society--there will only be ourselves and Mr. Pratt, and perhaps two or three unfortunate men who have been left stranded in town, and whom we can secure at a short notice.'
This frankness was still farther confusing. Spiridion was to be there--what could be the meaning of it? And then Mrs. Chadwick recollected having heard Charley Ormerod say that Mrs. Hamblin would soon get tired of Little Petrarch--the name by which Mr. Pratt was known in the set--and send him flying like the rest of them. Perhaps this had come about; perhaps she had grown tired of Little Petrarch and sent him flying, careless as to who should pick him up.
'I can only repeat that I will give your message to my sister and do all I can to induce her to come, but I have strong doubts about success.'
'Would you let me make my application to Miss Irvine in person, my dear Mrs. Chadwick?' said Mrs. Hamblin. 'Not that I for an instant doubt your good intentions, or am unaware that what I am about to say sounds horribly vain, but I candidly confess I have a great belief in my own powers of persuasion.'