sacrificed me. If you are not, skip this bit, and thank God you have got
something in the way of a defence between your hair-brush and your head.

"Just on the other side of the holly," Penelope went on, "Mr. Godfrey
came to a standstill. 'You prefer,' says he, 'that I should stop here as
if nothing had happened?' Miss Rachel turned on him like lightning. 'You
have accepted my mother's invitation,' she said; 'and you are here to
meet her guests. Unless you wish to make a scandal in the house, you
will remain, of course!' She went on a few steps, and then seemed to
relent a little. 'Let us forget what has passed, Godfrey,' she said,
'and let us remain cousins still.' She gave him her hand. He kissed it,
which I should have considered taking a liberty, and then she left him.
He waited a little by himself, with his head down, and his heel grinding
a hole slowly in the gravel walk; you never saw a man look more put out
in your life. 'Awkward!' he said between his teeth, when he looked up,
and went on to the house--'very awkward!' If that was his opinion of
himself, he was quite right. Awkward enough, I'm sure. And the end of it
is, father, what I told you all along," cries Penelope, finishing me off
with a last scarification, the hottest of all. "Mr. Franklin's the man!"

I got possession of the hair-brush, and opened my lips to administer the
reproof which, you will own, my daughter's language and conduct richly
deserved.

Before I could say a word, the crash of carriage-wheels outside struck
in, and stopped me. The first of the dinner-company had come. Penelope
instantly ran off. I put on my coat, and looked in the glass. My head
was as red as a lobster; but, in other respects, I was as nicely dressed
for the ceremonies of the evening as a man need be. I got into the hall
just in time to announce the two first of the guests. You needn't feel