Ayala's Angel [170]
that she would see what could be done. All this having been settled, Captain Batsby took his leave and went off to London.
Mrs Dosett, when she received Lady Albury's letter, was very much surprised. She too failed to understand what there was in Ayala to produce such a multiplicity of suitors, one after another. When Lucy came to her and had begun to be objectionable, she had thought that she might some day be relieved from her troubles by the girl's marriage. Lucy, to her eyes, was beautiful, and mistress of a manner likely to be winning in a man's eyes, though ungracious to herself. But in regard to Ayala she had expressed nothing of the kind. Ayala was little, and flighty, and like an elf -- as she had remarked to her husband. But now, within twelve months, three lovers had appeared, and each of them suitable for matrimonial purposes. She could only tell her husband, and then tell Ayala.
"Captain Batsby! I don't believe it!" said Ayala, almost crying. If Colonel Stubbs could not be made to assume the garb of an Angel of Light what was she to think of Captain Batsby?
"You can read Lady Albury's letter."
"I don't want to read Lady Albury's letter. I won't see him. I don't care what my uncle says. I don't care what anybody says. Yes, I do know him. I remember him very well. I spoke to him once or twice, and I did not like him at all."
"You said the same of Colonel Stubbs."
"I didn't say the same of Colonel Stubbs. He is a great deal worse than Colonel Stubbs."
"And you said just the same of Tom."
"He is the same as Tom -- just as bad. It is no good going on about him, Aunt Margaret. I won't see him. If I were locked up in a room with him I wouldn't speak a word to him. He has no right to come."
"A gentleman, my dear, has always a right to ask a lady to be his wife if he has got means."
"You always say so, Aunt Margaret, but I don't believe it. There should be -- there should have been -- I don't know what; but I am quite sure the man has no right to come to me, and I won't see him." To this resolution Ayala clung, and, as she was very firm about it, Mrs Dosett, after consultation with her husband, at last gave way, and consented to see Captain Batsby herself. In due time Captain Batsby came. At any knock heard at the door during this period Ayala flew out of the drawing-room into her own chamber; and at the Captain's knock she flew with double haste, feeling sure that his was the special knock. The man was shown up, and in a set speech declared his purpose to Mrs Dosett, and expressed a hope that Lady Albury might have written on the subject. Might he be allowed to see the young lady?
"I fear that would be of no service, Captain Batsby."
"Of no service?"
"On receiving Lady Albury's letter I was of course obliged to tell my niece the honour you proposed to do her."
"I am quite in earnest, you know," said the Captain.
"So I suppose, as Lady Albury would not have written, nor would you have come on such a mission. But so is my niece in earnest." "She will, at any rate, hear what I have got to say."
"She would rather not," said Mrs Dosett. "She thinks that it would only be painful to both of you. As she has quite made up her mind that she cannot accept the honour you propose to do her, what good would it serve?"
"Is Miss Dormer at home?" asked the Captain, suddenly. Mrs Dosett hesitated for a while, anxious to tell a lie on the matter, but fearing to do so. "I suppose she is at home," continued the urgent lover.
"Miss Dormer is at present in her own chamber."
"Then I think I ought to see her," continued the Captain. "She can't know at present what is my income."
"Lady Albury has told us that it is sufficient."
"But that means nothing. Your niece cannot be aware that I have a very pretty little place of my own down in Berkshire.
"I don't think it would make a difference," said Mrs Dosett. "Or that I shall be willing to settle upon her a third of my income. It is not many gentlemen who will do as much as that for a young lady, when the young
Mrs Dosett, when she received Lady Albury's letter, was very much surprised. She too failed to understand what there was in Ayala to produce such a multiplicity of suitors, one after another. When Lucy came to her and had begun to be objectionable, she had thought that she might some day be relieved from her troubles by the girl's marriage. Lucy, to her eyes, was beautiful, and mistress of a manner likely to be winning in a man's eyes, though ungracious to herself. But in regard to Ayala she had expressed nothing of the kind. Ayala was little, and flighty, and like an elf -- as she had remarked to her husband. But now, within twelve months, three lovers had appeared, and each of them suitable for matrimonial purposes. She could only tell her husband, and then tell Ayala.
"Captain Batsby! I don't believe it!" said Ayala, almost crying. If Colonel Stubbs could not be made to assume the garb of an Angel of Light what was she to think of Captain Batsby?
"You can read Lady Albury's letter."
"I don't want to read Lady Albury's letter. I won't see him. I don't care what my uncle says. I don't care what anybody says. Yes, I do know him. I remember him very well. I spoke to him once or twice, and I did not like him at all."
"You said the same of Colonel Stubbs."
"I didn't say the same of Colonel Stubbs. He is a great deal worse than Colonel Stubbs."
"And you said just the same of Tom."
"He is the same as Tom -- just as bad. It is no good going on about him, Aunt Margaret. I won't see him. If I were locked up in a room with him I wouldn't speak a word to him. He has no right to come."
"A gentleman, my dear, has always a right to ask a lady to be his wife if he has got means."
"You always say so, Aunt Margaret, but I don't believe it. There should be -- there should have been -- I don't know what; but I am quite sure the man has no right to come to me, and I won't see him." To this resolution Ayala clung, and, as she was very firm about it, Mrs Dosett, after consultation with her husband, at last gave way, and consented to see Captain Batsby herself. In due time Captain Batsby came. At any knock heard at the door during this period Ayala flew out of the drawing-room into her own chamber; and at the Captain's knock she flew with double haste, feeling sure that his was the special knock. The man was shown up, and in a set speech declared his purpose to Mrs Dosett, and expressed a hope that Lady Albury might have written on the subject. Might he be allowed to see the young lady?
"I fear that would be of no service, Captain Batsby."
"Of no service?"
"On receiving Lady Albury's letter I was of course obliged to tell my niece the honour you proposed to do her."
"I am quite in earnest, you know," said the Captain.
"So I suppose, as Lady Albury would not have written, nor would you have come on such a mission. But so is my niece in earnest." "She will, at any rate, hear what I have got to say."
"She would rather not," said Mrs Dosett. "She thinks that it would only be painful to both of you. As she has quite made up her mind that she cannot accept the honour you propose to do her, what good would it serve?"
"Is Miss Dormer at home?" asked the Captain, suddenly. Mrs Dosett hesitated for a while, anxious to tell a lie on the matter, but fearing to do so. "I suppose she is at home," continued the urgent lover.
"Miss Dormer is at present in her own chamber."
"Then I think I ought to see her," continued the Captain. "She can't know at present what is my income."
"Lady Albury has told us that it is sufficient."
"But that means nothing. Your niece cannot be aware that I have a very pretty little place of my own down in Berkshire.
"I don't think it would make a difference," said Mrs Dosett. "Or that I shall be willing to settle upon her a third of my income. It is not many gentlemen who will do as much as that for a young lady, when the young