The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-01-18
HE KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
BY ANTHONY TROLLOPE.
CHAPTER XXI.

SHOWING HOW COLONEL OS BORNE WENT
TO NUNCoMBE PUTNEY.
Colonel Osborne was expected at Nun
conbe Putney on the Friday, and it was
Thursday evening before either Mrs.
Stanbury or Priscilla was told of his
coming. Emily had argued the matter
with Nora, declaring that she would
make the communication herself, and
that she would make it when she
pleased and how she pleased.
"If Mrs. Stanbury thinks" said she,
"that i an going to be treated as pris-
ouer, or that l will rot judge myself as
to whom / may see, or whom | may not
see, she is very much mistaken Nora
, felt that, were she to give information
to those ladies in opposition to her sis
ter's wishes, she would express suspicion
on her own part by doing so; and she
was silent. On that same Thursday,
Priscilla had written her last defiant
letter to her aunt,-that letter in which
she had cautioned her aunt to make no
further accusation without being sure
of her facts. To Priscilla's Imagination
that coming of Lucifer in person of
which Mrs. Trevelyan had spoken
would hardly have been worse than the
coming of Colonel Osborne. When,
therefore, Mrs. Trevelyan declared the
fact on the Thursday evening, vainly
endeavoring to speak of the threatened
visit in an ordinary voice, and as of an
ordinary circumstance, it was as though
thanderbolt had fallen upon them.
Colonel Osborne coming here !" said
Priscilla, mindful of the Stanbury cor
respendence, mindful of the evil tongues
Of the world.
"And why not" demanded Mrs. IRE
velyan, who had heard nothing of the
Stan5nry correspondence.
80 dear, o dear" calculated Mrs.
Stanbury, who, of course, was aware of
all that had passed between the Clock
House and the house in the Close, though
the letters had been written by her
daughter.
Nora was determined 80 stand uP for
her sister, whatever might be the cir
cumstances OF the case.
81 wish Colonel Osborne were not
coming" said she, because it makes n
foolish fuss; but cannot understand
how anybody can suppose it to be wrong
that Emily should see paPa's very old
est friend in the world"
"But why is he coming" demanded
Priscilla.
because he wants to see an old ac
Quaintance at CockchaflingtOn," said
Mrs. Trevelyan; "apd there is wonder
full church door there"
"a church fiddlestick !" said Priscilla.
The matter was debated throughout
all the evening. At one time there was
a great quarrel between the ladies, and
then there was reconciliation.
The point on which Mrs. Trevelyan
stood with the greatest firmness was
this,-that it did not become her, as a
married woman whose conduct had al
ways been good, and who was more
careful as to that than she was even of
her name, to be ashamed TO meet any
man. "Why should | not see Colonel
Osborne, or Colonel anybody else who
might call here with the same justitica'
tion for calling " hich his old friendship
gives himf'
Priscilla sndeavored to explain to her
that her husbands known wishes ought
to hinder her from doing so.
"My husband should have remained
with me, to express his Wishes Mrs.
Prevelyan replied.
Neither could Mrs. Stanbury nor
could Priscilla bring herself to say that
the man should not be admitted into
the house. In the course of the debate,
in the heat of her anger, Mrs. TreVelyan
declared that, were any such threat
held ont to her, she would leave the
house and see Colsnel Osborne in the
street, or at the inn.
No, Emily,-no," said Nora.
But L will. | will not submit 10 be
treated as a guilty woman or as o pris-
sher. lhey may say what they like,
but wont be shut up."
No one has tried to shut Won up,~I
said Priscilla. "f'
You are afraid of that old woman ..
Exeter" said Mrs. Trevelyap: for ~
this time the facts of the Stanbury co..
respondence had all been elected ~
general conversation; "and vet Won
know how uncharitable and mali.
cious she is"
"Wc are not afraid of her." said Pris-
ella. "We are afraid of nothing but
of doing wrong"
"Aud will it be wrong to let an old
gentleman come into the house," said
Nora, "who is nearly sixty, and who has
known us ever since we were born |"
III he Is nearly sixty, Priscilla" said
MIS-. Stanbury, that does seem to make
difference" Mrs. Stanbury herself
was only just sixty, and she felt herself
to be quite an old woman.