These worthy people felt highly honoured at receiving
the baron and his lady beneath their roof. They gave their distinguished
guests their best rooms which looked out upon the street, and retired
themselves to the back of the house. The mining engineer had a pretty
young wife, with whom Henrietta immediately made friends. Ladies love
the close companionship of their own sex best whenever something
entirely different is occupying their thoughts.
On the morning of the great day the big-wigs of the little town hastened
to pay their respects to the great lady who had arrived in their midst,
and whose reputation for benevolence had spread far and wide. Amongst
them was an aged woman whose hands and head were continually shaking,
and who almost collapsed with terror every time anybody accosted her
unexpectedly. She was the widow of a Unitarian pastor, well to do,
people said, and a large mining proprietor. Her nervous affection was
due to a painful episode in her life. One night Fatia Negra and his band
had broken into her house and played havoc there, and ever since she had
been tremulous and easily terror-stricken. The old woman was delighted
to see Henrietta, whom she called the guardian angel of the county, and
she would not be content till she had seized Henrietta's little hands in
her own trembling ones and raised them painfully to her lips.
At last the joyous evening arrived.
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