Part 24 (1/2)

”It's not him I'm thinking of,” said Mary Ellen, ”but it's Mr. Doyle.”

Dr. O'Grady took no notice of this remark. He did not believe that Mary Ellen was very much afraid of Mr. Doyle. He followed Mrs. Gregg into the dining-room. Mary Ellen sat down.

”She really is rather a pretty girl,” said Mrs. Gregg.

”Then you'll undertake the job,” said Dr. O'Grady. ”You won't have to pay for anything, you know. We'll charge whatever you like to buy against the statue fund.”

Mrs. Gregg did not appear to be listening. She was thinking deeply.

”I have an old silk slip,” she said, ”which might be made down.”

”Capital! A silk slip will be the very thing.”

Dr. O'Grady had no idea what a silk slip might be. But his enthusiastic welcome of the suggestion pa.s.sed unnoticed. Mrs. Gregg was still thinking.

”I could get a white muslin,” she said, ”with an embroidered yoke and a wide collar. It wouldn't cost very much.”

”We'd like the thing done well,” said Dr. O'Grady, ”not extravagantly, of course, but well.”

”Sh.e.l.l look quite sweet,” said Mrs. Gregg; ”but what will Mrs. Ford say?”

”She'll have to be kept in a good temper.”

”Kept!” said Mrs. Gregg, giggling delightedly.

She was very much afraid of Mrs. Ford, but she found a fearful joy in entering into a conspiracy against her with Dr. O'Grady for ally.

”Kept!” she repeated, ”but she never is.”

”My idea,” said Dr. O'Grady, ”is that you should dress Mary Ellen yourself, according to your own ideas, and at the same time consult with Mrs. Ford, giving her the impression that she's doing the whole thing herself. I should think you ought to be able to manage that.”

This did not seem to Mrs. Gregg a very easy thing to do. She hesitated.

”I'm afraid I couldn't,” she said at last. ”I don't see how I could.”

”All that's required,” said Dr. O'Grady, ”is a little tact. You are always good at tact, Mrs. Gregg. I'm perfectly certain that you'll be able to manage. You must suggest each garment you intend to put on the girl in such a way that Mrs. Ford will think that she suggested it.

That ought to be easy enough.” Everybody likes being credited with the possession of tact. This is curious, because hardly anyone likes being called a liar; and yet tact is simply a delicate form of lying. So, of course, is politeness of every kind, and n.o.body considers it wrong to aim at being polite. Mrs. Gregg, who would certainly have resented an accusation of habitual untruthfulness, felt flattered when Dr. O'Grady said she was tactful. She even believed him and allowed herself to be persuaded to undertake the management of Mrs. Ford.

”Good,” said Dr. O'Grady. ”Then I'll leave the whole business in your hands. I have to be off. But you've no time to lose. You'll have to set about your work at once. I'll send Mary Ellen to you as I go through the hall. You can measure her, and then take her over to see Mrs. Ford.

After that you'd better order the new dress. If there's any hitch in the proceedings you can send for me, but I don't see why there should be.”

He shook hands with Mrs. Gregg and hurried from the room, without giving her the chance of making any kind of protest or asking any more questions.

He found Mary Ellen seated on an uncomfortable oak chair in the hall.

”Mary Ellen,” he said, ”would you like a new dress?”

”I would.”

”Then go into the dining-room?the room I've just come out of. You'll find Mrs. Gregg there. Do exactly what she tells you without making any objections or asking questions. If she insists on your was.h.i.+ng your face, wash it, without grumbling. If Moriarty is waiting for you anywhere between this and the town?? Is Moriarty waiting for you?”