Page:Traits and Trials.pdf/76

70 months she does not improve as I expect, we can then decide on her accompanying her sister to school next half year."

"I do not see a single objection to what you propose, we will drive over to Mrs. Dalrymple's to morrow; I know that her daughters were all educated at the same school, and she can answer all our enquiries." This was proceeding rather more rapidly than Mrs. Dalton intended: she would have liked to have chosen the school herself: for Mrs. Dalrymple's advice to be taken interfered with her own love of patronage; moreover she feared that in the course of the conversation a different version of the morning's adventure might come out, and a different view be taken of the children's conduct to what she had given. Still one great point was gained, in Mr. Dalton consenting to a school at all: she therefore trusted to her own dexterity in guiding the morrow's discourse; and she knew her husband well enough to know that though he rarely interfered, yet he equally rarely departed from a resolution when once formed.