Chapter 3 third chapter

Miss "I hope the conspirator Forsyth hasn't seen it!" On the morning of March 21st, Dr. Sidney Huddleson was alone in his studio, talking to himself in this way. He was a doctor, but he did not practice medicine at Weston, because he preferred to devote his time and wisdom to wider and nobler spiritual activities.He is both Dean Forsyth's friend and rival.He was converted by the same hobby, and like his friend, his eyes were only fixed on the vast sky; like his friend, he was only devoted to exploring the mysteries of astronomy in the universe. Dr. Huddleson owned a considerable fortune: his own and that of Mrs. Hudson, who was a maiden Flora Claricy.This family property is properly managed, which guarantees the future of him and his two daughters.His two daughters, Jenny and Louisa Hudson, were eighteen and fourteen respectively.As for the doctor himself, it may be quite eloquent to say that the forty-seventh winter has made his hair as snowy as an indication of his age.Unfortunately, this beautiful metaphor will not fit the point, because Dr. Hudson's head is so bald that even the neatest razor is useless.

The potential astronomical rivalry between Sidney Hudson and Dean Forsyth, although the two were very close, was not without its influence on the relationship between the two.Of course, they're not vying for a planet or a star.The stars in the sky, whose discoverers are often unknown, belong to everyone.However, their meteorological or astronomical observations were frequently the subject of disputes, which sometimes turned rather quickly into quarrels. Had a Mrs. Forsyth been there, it might have made the quarrel more violent, and in some cases even devolved into a regrettable row.Fortunately there was no such lady, because the man who might have married her was still a bachelor and never dreamed, not even in his dreams, of marrying.So there wasn't that Dean Forsyth's wife there to fuel the fire in the name of mediation, so the feud between the two amateur astronomers was able to calm down quickly.

Of course, there was always Mrs. Flora Huddleson.But she is a good wife and mother, she is good at housework, she has a quiet personality, she will not speak ill of anyone, and she is not like the most respected ladies in various societies in the old and new continents, who specialize in gossip, rumors and slander . It was a marvelous phenomenon that the model wife did her best to calm her husband when he came home irritated by an argument with his close friend Forsyth.Another thing, too, was peculiar: Mrs. Hudson thought it perfectly natural for Mr. Hudson to do astronomy and spend his days in the depths of the sky, as long as he came down when she asked him to.She did not disturb her husband in the way Mitz disturbed her master.She was also tolerant of him keeping him waiting for a meal.When he was late, she had no complaints and managed to keep the dishes just right.When his mind is heavy, she respects his mind.She even worried about his career, and her kindness naturally led her to say words of encouragement to her astronomer when he seemed lost in the immensity of space with no way out.

This is the kind of wife we ​​want all husbands, especially husbands of astronomers, to have.Unfortunately, such wives are hard to find except in novels. Her oldest daughter, Jenny, looks set to follow in her footsteps, taking the same steps in life.It's clear that Frances Gordon - the future husband of Jenny Huddleson - is destined to be the happiest man ever.I don't mean to belittle the ladies of America. It is true that it is difficult to find a cuter, more attractive, and more perfect character girl in the whole of America.Jenny Huddleson was a lovely blonde with blue eyes, a pretty face, and pretty hands, feet, and figure.She is charming and humble, kind and intelligent.So Frances Gordon and she respected and loved each other.Mr. Dean Forsyth's nephew was also esteemed by the Huddlesons, and this mutual affection was soon expressed in the form of a marriage proposal, which was also well received.These two young men are so well suited!What Jenny brought to the future family would be a happy and noble family; and Francis Gordon would be supported by his uncle, and his uncle's property would one day belong to him.Let’s put these legacy outlooks aside, though.What matters is not the future, but the present, and this present is already perfect.

Frances Gordon is the fiancé of Jenny Huddleson, and Jenny Huddleson is the fiancée of Frances Gordon. The bishop presided, and the place was St. Andrew's Church, which is the largest church in the happy city of Weston. It is certain that this wedding will be attended by many, for the two families are of great esteem; and it is equally certain that on that day the happiest, liveliest, and most effusive will be little Lulu, who will be the bridesmaid of her dear sister. Mutually.This little Lulu is not yet fifteen years old, and she has every right to sell her little ones.I assure you that she will make full use of this right.She was very active, and her mind was equally on the move.How dare this little naughty kid make fun of "Daddy's Planet"!But everyone forgives her for everything and relies on her for everything.Dr. Hudson himself was the first to laugh, and kissed her little girl's bright cheek as the only punishment.

Dr. Hudson is actually a nice guy, but he's stubborn and impulsive.Except for Lulu, who can allow some innocent jokes, others have to respect his hobbies and habits.He is keen on the study of astronomy and meteorology, and he is extremely stubborn in his arguments, and he takes his own discoveries or what he thinks he has discovered as his own life, so although he actually has friendship with Dean Forsyth, he is not with Dean Forsyth. This formidable rival barely manages to maintain a friendship.Two hunters are hunting in the same hunting ground, vying for the same rare animal.There have been many occasions of indifference, which, had it not been for the pacifying intervention of the good Mrs. Huddleson, with the great assistance of her two daughters and of Frances Gordon in her cause of peace, this Indifference can lead to quarrels.The small, peaceful quartet had high hopes for the proposed marriage, hoping it would reduce the friction between the two.As Frances and Jenny bonded the families closer together, these thunderstorms would become less frequent and less terrifying.Who knows, the two astronomy enthusiasts might even join hands in heartfelt cooperation in astronomical research?That way they get their fair share of prey they find (if not shoot) in space.

It is impossible to find a better arranged house in Weston.Dr. Hudson's house was the most comfortable.The house has a yard, a garden, beautiful trees and a lawn, and is located in the middle of Morris Road.On the first floor and the bottom, there are seven windows on the front.On the left side of the roof stands a square castle-like building, thirty meters high, with a platform with railings on it.At one corner of the platform stood a flagpole, on which rose the flag of the United States of America with fifty-one stars on Sundays and holidays. The rooms on the square tower are arranged according to the special work needs of the master.The Doctor's instruments, telescopes and telescopes are there.Only on clear nights did he carry them up on the platform, where his eyes could roam freely in the sky.There, in spite of Mrs. Hudson's urging, he had the worst rhinitis and the most contagious influenza.

"It's almost making Dad spread the cold to his stars." Miss Lulu loves to say so. The doctor listened to nothing.He sometimes stays there in the freezing winter, braving the severe cold of minus seven or eight degrees Celsius, because the sky is completely clean at this time. The Round Tower on Elizabeth Road is easily recognizable from the Observatory on Morris Road.They were at most half a mile apart, without a tall building in between, not a single tree to obstruct the view. You don't even need a high-magnification telescope, you only need a pair of small telescopes to clearly see the people staying on the round tower or the square tower.Of course Dean Forsyth had other things to do than see Sidney Hudson and Sidney Hudson wouldn't want to waste time seeing Dean Forsyth .Their observation target is much higher.But Frances Gordon naturally wanted to see if Jenny Huddleson was on the platform, and I guess it didn't hurt that their eyes were constantly talking to each other through binoculars.

It is easy to establish a telegraph or telephone connection between two houses.Run a wire between the square tower and the round tower, and some very pleasant words can be passed from Francis Gordon to Jenny Hudson, or from Jenny Huddleson to Francis Gordon there.But Dean Forsyth and Dr. Sidney Hudson, having no such affectionate words to exchange, never intended to install such a wire.Perhaps when the two unmarried couples become married, this defect will be made up.Adding an electrical bond to the marriage bond will bring the two families closer together. On the afternoon when the brilliant but irascible Mitz showed a little of her admirable eloquence to the reader, Frances Gordon called on Mrs. Hudson and her daughters as usual (" and her daughter," Lulu corrects, pretending to be offended).People greeted him almost like a patron saint.Even if he wasn't Jenny's husband yet, Lulu already wanted him to be her elder brother, and the things that took root in this little girl's mind were always strong.

As for Dr. Huddleson, he has shut himself up in the square tower since four o'clock in the morning.Like Dean Forsyth, he was late for lunch.Then, like him, he hurried back to the platform just as the sun broke through the clouds.He was as worried about something as his opponent, and it seemed that he was not ready to come down.But without him it is impossible to decide the great issues that will be discussed in the plenary meeting. "Look!" cried Lulu, as soon as the young man appeared at the door. "Mr. Francis is here, always Francis!...To be honest, he's the only one you see here all day long!"

Francis only threatened the little girl with his finger, and when everyone was seated, they began to chat easily and naturally, as if they hadn't parted yesterday.In fact the fiancee have never been separated, at least spiritually.Miss Lulu even insisted that "Francis the ever-present" was always at her house, pretending to go out by the front door facing the street, and come back by the back door in the garden. That day, everyone talked about topics that we talk about every day.Jenny listened to Francis, and her seriousness did not diminish her charm in the slightest.They looked at each other, talking about plans for the future, which would soon come to fruition.Really, why expect that things will be delayed?Francis Gordon has found a fine house in Lamberth Road, just suitable for the little family.The house was on the West Side, facing the Potomac River, not far from Morris Road.Mrs. Hudson promised to see the house.As long as the future female tenant of this house is happy, the house can be rented within a week.Lulu, of course, accompanied her mother and sister.If you don't ask for her opinion, she won't agree. "By the way! Mr. Forsyth? . . . " she exclaimed suddenly, "isn't he supposed to be here today?" "My uncle is coming at four o'clock in the afternoon," replied Francis Gordon. "He has to come to decide the question," Mrs. Hudson pointed out. "He knows that he won't miss the appointment." "If he misses the appointment," Lulu declared threateningly with her little hand outstretched, "I'll settle the score with him, and I won't let him go so cheaply." "And Mr. Hudson? . . . " asked Francis. "He is as indispensable as my uncle." "Papa's on the square tower," said Jenny, "and he'll come down when called." "I'll call." Lulu said, "I can climb up to the seventh floor in one go." Indeed, the presence of Mr. Forsyth and Mr. Hudson was important.Don't want to determine the wedding date?In principle, the wedding was to happen as soon as possible, but to allow the bridesmaids time to make her beautiful dress—a long, girly dress that she wanted to wear for the first time on that meaningful day. Francis then jokingly proposed: "What if this wonderful dress isn't ready?" "Then put off the wedding!" said the dictator. This answer provoked a burst of laughter that Hudson must have heard from his tall square tower. However, the hands of the wall clock gradually completed all the minutes and seconds on the clock face, and Mr. Dean Forsyth had not yet appeared.In vain Lulu leaned out of the window, from which she could see the door, and there was no sign of Mr. Forsyth! ...You should arm yourself with patience, but Lulu never knows how to use this weapon. "My uncle clearly agreed to me..." Francis said repeatedly, "but I don't know what's going on with him these days." "I don't think Mr. Forsyth is ill?" asked Jenny. "No, but he's very preoccupied...worried...I can't make ten words out of him. I don't know what's going on in his mind." "Probably some kind of light from the stars," cried the little girl. "My husband is the same way," said Mrs. Hudson. "This week, he's been more focused than usual. There's no way to get him off the observatory. There must be something out of the ordinary in the sky." "My God!" Francis replied, "seeing my uncle's look, I can't help thinking that, he doesn't go out, and he forgets to eat and sleep. . . . " "How happy Mitz must be!" cried Lulu. "She's very angry," declared Francis, "but it's no use. My uncle, who had always been afraid of his old servant's reproach, doesn't care at all now." "It's exactly the same here," said Jenny, smiling, "and my sister seems to have lost her influence on Papa too... You know, how much influence she had!" "Is this possible, Miss Lulu?" Francis asked in the same tone. "True! But be patient... be patient! In the end it's up to me and Mitz to win over Papa and Uncle." "What happened to them?" "They must have lost some precious star," cried Lulu. "God, I hope they get it back before the wedding." "We were joking," interrupted Mrs. Hudson, "but Mr. Forsyth hasn't come." "It's almost four-thirty!" Jenny added. "If my uncle isn't here in five minutes," Francis decided, "I'll run to him." At this time, the doorbell rang at the door. "This is Mr. Forsyth," said Lulu. "Hey! . . . he's still ringing the bell! . It was Mr. Dean Forsyth, indeed.He entered the living room almost immediately.Lulu greeted him with fierce reproach. "Late! . . . Late! . . . Are you going to be scolded?" "How do you do, Mrs. Huddleson! how do you do, dear Jenny!" said Mr. Forsyth, embracing the girl. "Hello!" He said, patting the little girl's face lightly again. All these polite remarks were said absent-mindedly.As Lulu asserted, Mr. Dean Forsyth's "brains are elsewhere." "Uncle," said Francis Gordon, "I thought you had forgotten our appointment, seeing that you did not come at the appointed time." "Had forgotten it, I admit. I apologize, Mrs. Hudson. Fortunately, Mitz managed to get me to remember." "She did the right thing," Lulu announced. "Stop attacking me, little girl! . . . I have something urgent on my mind. I may be on the eve of a most interesting discovery." "Just like Dad..." Lulu started talking again. "What!" Mr. Dean Forsyth jumped up with such a jerk that one might have thought a spring had sprung from the cushion of his chair. "You said he..." "We said nothing, my good Mr. Forsyth," said Mrs. Hudson hastily.Her constant apprehension of a new source of rivalry between her husband and Francis Gordon's uncle was, indeed, not unreasonable. To interrupt the matter, she added: "Lulu, go find your father." The little girl jumped on the square tower as lightly as a bird.Needless to say, if she flew up the stairs instead of opening the window, it was only because she did not want to use her wings. A minute later Mr Sidney Hudson entered the drawing room.His face was solemn, his eyes were tired, and his head was so bloodshot that one feared he might have a stroke. Mr. Dean Forsyth and he shook hands uncertainly, and squinted at each other.They looked at each other secretly, as if they were wary of each other. But, anyway, the two families finally came together to discuss the date of the wedding—or, as Lulu called it, the union of Frances and Jenny's stars. —Anyway, all we have to do is set a date.Everyone thinks that the wedding should be held as soon as possible.This conversation was not long. Did Mr. Dean Forsyth and Mr. Hudson attach importance to this happy occasion?It might be better to think that they have gone after some asteroid lost in space, and are still wondering if the other party is about to find it. In any case, they had no objection to the wedding being a few weeks away.This day is March 21st, and the wedding date is May 15th. In this way, if you hurry up a little bit, you will have time to decorate the new house. "I also had time to finish my dress." Lulu added with a serious look.

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