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scornful brevity in gazetteers。 Even the great people there were
far behind those of their own standing in other parts of this realm。
Mr。 Palfrey's farmyard doors had the paint all worn off them； and
the front garden walks had long been merged in a general weediness。
Still； his father had been called Squire Palfrey； and had been
respected by the last Grimworth generation as a man who could afford
to drink too much in his own house。
Pretty Penny was not blind to the fact that Mr。 Freely admired her；
and she felt sure that it was he who had sent her a beautiful
valentine； but her sister seemed to think so lightly of him （all
young ladies think lightly of the gentlemen to whom they are not
engaged）； that Penny never dared mention him； and trembled and
blushed whenever they met him； thinking of the valentine； which was
very strong in its expressions； and which she felt guilty of knowing
by heart。 A man who had been to the Indies； and knew the sea so
well； seemed to her a sort of public character； almost like Robinson
Crusoe or Captain Cook； and Penny had always wished her husband to
be a remarkable personage； likely to be put in Mangnall's Questions；
with which register of the immortals she had become acquainted
during her one year at a boarding…school。 Only it seemed strange
that a remarkable man should be a confectioner and pastry…cook； and
this anomaly quite disturbed Penny's dreams。 Her brothers； she
knew； laughed at men who couldn't sit on horseback well； and called
them tailors； but her brothers were very rough； and were quite
without that power of anecdote which made Mr。 Freely such a
delightful companion。 He was a very good man； she thought； for she
had heard him say at Mr。 Luff's； one day； that he always wished to
do his duty in whatever state of life he might be placed； and he
knew a great deal of poetry； for one day he had repeated a verse of
a song。 She wondered if he had made the words of the valentine！it
ended in this way：…
〃Without thee； it is pain to live；
But with thee； it were sweet to die。〃
Poor Mr。 Freely！ her father would very likely objectshe felt sure
he would； for he always called Mr。 Freely 〃that sugar…plum fellow。〃
Oh； it was very cruel； when true love was crossed in that way； and
all because Mr。 Freely was a confectioner： well； Penny would be
true to him； for all that； and since his being a confectioner gave
her an opportunity of showing her faithfulness； she was glad of it。
Edward Freely was a pretty name； much better than John Towers。
Young Towers had offered her a rose out of his button…hole the other
day； blushing very much； but she refused it； and thought with
delight how much Mr。 Freely would be comforted if he knew her
firmness of mind。
Poor little Penny！ the days were so very long among the daisies on a
grazing farm； and thought is so activehow was it possible that the
inward drama should not get the start of the outward？ I have known
young ladies； much better educated； and with an outward world
diversified by instructive lectures； to say nothing of literature
and highly…developed fancy…work； who have spun a cocoon of visionary
joys and sorrows for themselves； just as Penny did。 Her elder
sister Letitia； who had a prouder style of beauty； and a more
worldly ambition； was engaged to a wool…factor； who came all the way
from Cattelton to see her； and everybody knows that a wool…factor
takes a very high rank； sometimes driving a double…bodied gig。
Letty's notions got higher every day； and Penny never dared to speak
of her cherished griefs to her lofty sisternever dared to propose
that they should call at Mr。 Freely's to buy liquorice； though she
had prepared for such an incident by mentioning a slight sore
throat。 So she had to pass the shop on the other side of the
market…place； and reflect； with a suppressed sigh； that behind those
pink and white jars somebody was thinking of her tenderly；
unconscious of the small space that divided her from him。
And it was quite true that； when business permitted； Mr。 Freely
thought a great deal of Penny。 He thought her prettiness comparable
to the loveliest things in confectionery； he judged her to be of
submissive temperlikely to wait upon him as well as if she had
been a negress； and to be silently terrified when his liver made him
irritable； and he considered the Palfrey family quite the best in
the parish； possessing marriageable daughters。 On the whole； he
thought her worthy to become Mrs。 Edward Freely； and all the more
so； because it would probably require some ingenuity to win her。
Mr。 Palfrey was capable of horse…whipping a too rash pretender to
his daughter's hand； and； moreover； he had three tall sons： it was
clear that a suitor would be at a disadvantage with such a family；
unless travel and natural acumen had given him a countervailing
power of contrivance。 And the first idea that occurred to him in
the matter was； that Mr。 Palfrey would object less if he knew that
the Freelys were a much higher family than his own。 It had been
foolish modesty in him hitherto to conceal the fact that a branch of
the Freelys held a manor in Yorkshire； and to shut up the portrait
of his great uncle the admiral； instead of hanging it up where a
family portrait should be hungover the mantelpiece in the parlour。
Admiral Freely； K。C。B。； once placed in this conspicuous position；
was seen to have had one arm only； and one eyein these points
resembling the heroic Nelsonwhile a certain pallid insignificance
of feature confirmed the relationship between himself and his grand…
nephew。
Next； Mr。 Freely was seized with an irrepressible ambition to posses
Mrs。 Palfrey's receipt for brawn； hers being pronounced on all hands
to be superior to his ownas he informed her in a very flattering
letter carried by his errand…boy。 Now Mrs。 Palfrey； like other
geniuses； wrought by instinct rather than by rule； and possessed no
receiptsindeed； despised all people who used them； observing that
people who pickled by book； must pickle by weights and measures； and
such nonsense； as for herself； her weights and measures were the tip
of her finger and the tip of her tongue； and if you went nearer；
why； of course； for dry goods like flour and spice； you went by
handfuls and pinches； and for wet； there was a middle…sized jug
quite the best thing whether for much or little； because you might
know how much a teacupful was if you'd got any use of your senses；
and you might be sure it would take five middle…sized jugs to make a
gallon。 Knowledge of this kind is like Titian's colouring；
difficult to communicate； and as Mrs。 Palfrey； once remarkably
handsome； had now become rather stout and asthmatical； and scarcely
ever left home； her oral teaching could hardly be given anywhere
except at Long Meadows。 Even a matron is not insusceptible to
flattery； and the prospect of a visitor whose great object would be
to listen to her conversation； was not without its charms to Mrs。
Palfrey。 Since there was no receipt to be sent in reply to Mr。
Freely's humble request； she called on her more docile daughter；
Penny； to write a note； telling him that her mother would be glad to
see him and talk with him on brawn； any day that he could call at
Long Meadows。 Penny obeyed with a trembling hand； thinking how
wonderfully things came about in this world。
In this way； Mr。 Freely got himself introduced into the home of the
Palfreys； and notwithstanding a tendency in the male part of the
family to jeer at him a little as 〃peaky〃 and bow…legged； he
presently established his position as an accepted and frequent
guest。 Young Towers looked at him with increasing disgust when they
met at the house on a Sunday； and secretly longed to try his ferret
upon him； as a piece of vermin which that valuable animal would be
likely to tackle with unhesitating vigour。 Butso blind sometimes
are parentsneither Mr。 nor Mrs。 Palfrey suspected that Penny would
have anything to say to a tradesman of questionable rank whose
youthful bloom was much withered。 Young Towers； they thought； had
an eye to her； and THAT was likely enough to be a match some day；
but Penny was a child at present。 And all the while Penny was
imagining the circumstances under which Mr。 Freely would make her an
offer： perhaps down by the row of damson…trees； when they were in
the garden before tea； perhaps by letterin which case； how would
the letter begin？ 〃Dearest Penelope？〃 or 〃My dear Miss Penelope？〃
or straight off； without dear anything； as seemed the most natural
when people were embarrassed？ But； however he might make the offer；
she would not accept it without her father's consent： she would
always be true to Mr。 Freely； but she would not disobey her father。
For Penny was a good girl； though some of her female friends were
afterwards of opinion that it spoke ill for her not to have felt an
instinctive repugnance to M