Stacy from her mind except so far as to invoke Norah's aid in laying
out her smartest gown for dinner. "But why take all this trouble, dear?"
said her simple-minded husband; "we are going to dine in a private room
so that we can talk over old times all by ourselves, and any dress would
suit him. And, Lord, dear!" he added, with a quick brightening at the
fancy, "if you could only just rig yourself up in that pretty lilac gown
you used to wear at Boomville--it would be too killing, and just like
old times. I put it away myself in one of our trunks--I couldn't bear
to leave it behind; I know just where it is. I'll"--But Mrs. Barker's
restraining scorn withheld him.
"George Barker, if you think I am going to let you throw away and
utterly WASTE Mr. Stacy on us, alone, in a private room with closed
doors--and I dare say you'd like to sit in your dressing-gown and
slippers--you are entirely mistaken. I know what is due, not to your old
partner, but to the great Mr. Stacy, the financier, and I know what is
due FROM HIM TO US! No! We dine in the great dining-room, publicly, and,
if possible, at the very next table to those stuck-up Peterburys and
their Eastern friends, including that horrid woman, which, I'm sure,
ought to satisfy you. Then you can talk as much as you like, and as
loud as you like, about old times,--and the louder and the more the
better,--but I don't think HE'LL like it."
"But the baby!" expostulated Barker. "Stacy's just wild to see him--and
we can't bring him down to the table--though we MIGHT," he added,
momentarily brightening.
"After dinner," said Mrs. Barker severely, "we will walk through the big
drawing-rooms, and THEN Mr. Stacy may come upstairs and see him in his
crib; but not before. And now, George, I do wish that to-night, FOR
ONCE, you would not wear a turn-down collar, and that you would go to
the barber's and have him cut your hair and smooth out the curls. And,
for Heaven's sake! let him put some wax or gum or SOMETHING on your
mustache and twist it up on your cheek like Captain Heath's, for it
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