As
for her governess, she indeed had been a rarely accomplished musician:
she was a pupil of the famous Dr. Clarke of Cambridge, and used to
play the overture to Atalanta, arranged by Mazzinghi. Nevertheless, it
was some time before Theobald could bring his courage to the
sticking point of actually proposing. He made it quite clear that he
believed himself to be much smitten, but month after month went by,
during which there was still so much hope in Theobald that Mr.
Allaby dared not discover that he was able to do his duty for himself,
and was getting impatient at the number of half-guineas he was
disbursing- and yet there was no proposal. Christina's mother
assured him that she was the best daughter in the whole world, and
would be a priceless treasure to the man who married her. Theobald
echoed Mrs. Allaby's sentiments with warmth, but still, though he
visited the Rectory two or three times a week, besides coming over
on Sunday- he did not propose. "She is heart-whole yet, dear Mr.
Pontifex," said Mrs. Allaby, one day, "at least I believe she is. It
is not for want of admirers- oh! no- she has had her full share of
these, but she is too, too difficult to please.
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