Mrs. ¬ÝGrey had met Southerners before, but not intimately, and she always had in mind vividly their cruelty to ‚Äúpoor Negroes,‚Äù a subject she made a point of introducing forthwith. She was therefore most agreeably surprised to hear Mr. ¬ÝCresswell express himself so cordially as approving of Negro education.
‚ÄúWhy, I thought,‚Äù said Mrs. ¬ÝGrey, ‚Äúthat you Southerners rather disapproved‚ÅÝ‚Äîor at least‚ÅÝ‚Äî‚Äù
Mr. ¬ÝCresswell inclined his head courteously.
‚ÄúWe Southerners, my dear Mrs. ¬ÝGrey, are responsible for a variety of reputations.‚Äù And he told an anecdote that set the table laughing. ‚ÄúSeriously, though,‚Äù he continued, ‚Äúwe are not as black as the blacks paint us, although on the whole I prefer that Helen should marry‚ÅÝ‚Äîa white man.‚Äù
They all glanced at Miss Cresswell, who lay softly back in her chair like a white lily, gleaming and bejewelled, her pale face flushing under the scrutiny; Mrs. ¬ÝGrey was horrified.
‚ÄúWhy‚ÅÝ‚Äîwhy the idea!‚Äù she sputtered. ‚ÄúWhy, Mr. ¬ÝCresswell, how can you conceive of anything else‚ÅÝ‚Äîno Northerner dreams‚ÅÝ‚Äî‚Äù
Mr. ¬ÝCresswell sipped his wine slowly.
‚ÄúNo‚ÅÝ‚Äîno‚ÅÝ‚ÄîI do not think you do mean that‚ÅÝ‚Äî‚Äù He paused and the Englishman bent forward.
‚ÄúReally, now, you do not mean to say that there is a danger of‚ÅÝ‚Äîof amalgamation, do you?‚Äù he sang.
Mr. ¬ÝCresswell explained. No, of course there was no immediate danger; but when people were suddenly thrust beyond their natural