But I may tell you, if you don't come you'll
regret it all your life. You say yes?"
At this moment Mrs. Flushing caught sight of Rachel.
"Ah, there's your niece. She's promised. You're coming, aren't you?"
Having adopted the plan, she pursued it with the energy of a child.
Rachel took her part with eagerness.
"Of course I'm coming. So are you, Helen. And Mr. Pepper too." As she
sat she realised that she was surrounded by people she knew, but that
Terence was not among them. From various angles people began saying what
they thought of the proposed expedition. According to some it would be
hot, but the nights would be cold; according to others, the difficulties
would lie rather in getting a boat, and in speaking the language.
Mrs. Flushing disposed of all objections, whether due to man or due to
nature, by announcing that her husband would settle all that.
Meanwhile Mr. Flushing quietly explained to Helen that the expedition
was really a simple matter; it took five days at the outside; and the
place--a native village--was certainly well worth seeing before she
returned to England. Helen murmured ambiguously, and did not commit
herself to one answer rather than to another.
The tea-party, however, included too many different kinds of people
for general conversation to flourish; and from Rachel's point of view
possessed the great advantage that it was quite unnecessary for her to
talk.
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