He found a letter at Ewell. It contained a card of invitation; Mrs.
John Jacks graciously announced to him that she would be at home on
an evening a week hence, at nine o'clock.
How came he to have forgotten the Jacks family? Not once had he
mentioned to Miss Derwent that he was on friendly terms with these
most respectable people. What a foolish omission! It would at once
have given him a better standing in her sight, have smoothed their
social relations.
Instantly, his plan of exile was forgotten. He would accept this
invitation, and on the same day, in the afternoon, he would boldly
call at the Derwents'. Why not?--as Mrs. Hannaford said. John
Jacks, M.P., was undoubtedly the social superior of Dr. Derwent;
admitted to the house at Queen's Gate, one might surely with all
confidence present oneself in Bryanston Square. Was he not an
educated man, by birth a gentleman? If he had no position, why, who
had at one-and-twenty? How needlessly he had been humiliating and
discouraging himself! In the highest spirits he went down into the
garden to talk with Mrs. Hannaford and Olga. They gazed at him,
astonished; he was a new creature; he joked and laughed and could
hardly contain his exuberance of joy. When there fell from him a
casual mention of Mrs. Jacks' card, no one could have imagined that
this was the explanation of his altered mood. Mrs. Hannaford felt
sure that he had been to see Irene, and had received, or fancied,
some sort of encouragement.
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