Chapter 9. Appearance and Disappearance

           ‘Arthur,mydearboy,’saidMrMeagles,ontheeveningofthefollowingday,‘MotherandIhavebeentalkingthisover,andwedon’tfeelcomfortableinremainingasweare.Thatelegantconnectionofours—thatdearladywhowashereyesterday—’

           ‘Iunderstand,’saidArthur.

           ‘Eventhataffableandcondescendingornamentofsociety,’pursuedMrMeagles,‘maymisrepresentus,weareafraid.Wecouldbearagreatdeal,Arthur,forhersake;butwethinkwewouldrathernotbearthat,ifitwasallthesametoher.’

           ‘Good,’saidArthur.‘Goon.’

           ‘Yousee,’proceededMrMeagles‘itmightputuswrongwithourson-in-law,itmightevenputuswrongwithourdaughter,anditmightleadtoagreatdealofdomestictrouble.Yousee,don’tyou?’

           ‘Yes,indeed,’returnedArthur,‘thereismuchreasoninwhatyousay.’HehadglancedatMrsMeagles,whowasalwaysonthegoodandsensibleside;andapetitionhadshoneoutofherhonestfacethathewouldsupportMrMeaglesinhispresentinclinings.

           ‘Soweareverymuchdisposed,areMotherandI,’saidMrMeagles,‘topackupbagsandbaggageandgoamongtheAllongersandMarshongersoncemore.Imean,weareverymuchdisposedtobeoff,strikerightthroughFranceintoItaly,andseeourPet.’

           ‘AndIdon’tthink,’repliedArthur,touchedbythemotherlyanticipationinthebrightfaceofMrsMeagles(shemusthavebeenverylikeherdaughter,once),‘thatyoucoulddobetter.Andifyouaskmeformyadvice,itisthatyousetoffto-morrow.’

           ‘Isitreally,though?’saidMrMeagles.