Ayala's Angel [236]
with an assurance that as things were now settling themselves such pecuniary assistance was not needed. But this was not done till Ayala had heard what the Angel of Light had done on her sister's behalf. But as to Ayala's feelings in that respect we must be silent here, as otherwise we should make premature allusion to the condition in which Ayala found herself before she had at last managed to escape from Stalham Park.
"Papa," said Gertrude, to her father one evening, "don't you think you could do something for me too now?" Just at this time Sir Thomas, greatly to his own annoyance, was coming down to Merle Park every evening. According to their plans as at present arranged, they were to stay in the country till after Easter, and then they were to go up to town in time to despatch poor Tom upon his long journey round the world. But poor Tom was now in bed, apparently ill, and there seemed to be great doubt whether he could be made to go on the appointed day in spite of the taking of his berth and the preparation of his outfit. Tom, if well enough, was to sail on the nineteenth of April, and there now wanted not above ten days to that time. "Don't you think you could do something for me now?" asked Gertrude. Hitherto Sir Thomas had extended no sign of pardon to his youngest daughter, and never failed to allude to her and to Captain Batsby as "those two idiots" whenever their names were mentioned before him.
"Yes, my dear; I will endeavour to do a good deal for you if you will behave yourself."
"What do you call behaving myself, papa?"
"In the first place telling me that you are very sorry for your misbehaviour with that idiot."
"Of course I am sorry if I have offended you."
"Well, that shall go for something. But how about the idiot?" "Papa!" she exclaimed.
"Was he not an idiot? Would anyone but an idiot have gone on such an errand as that?"
"Gentlemen and ladies have done it before, papa."
"I doubt it," he said. "Gentlemen have run away with young ladies before, and generally have behaved very badly when they have done so. He behaved very badly indeed, because he had come to my house, with my sanction, with the express purpose of expressing his affection for another young lady. But I think that his folly in this special running away was worse even than his conduct. How did he come to think that he could get himself married merely by crossing over the sea to Ostend? I should be utterly ashamed of him as a son-in-law -- chiefly because he has shown himself to be an idiot."
"But, papa, you will accept him, won't you?"
"No, my dear, I will not."
"Not though I love him?"
"If I were to give you a choice which would you take, him or Mr Houston?"
"Houston is a scoundrel."
"Very likely; but then he is not an idiot. My choice would be altogether in favour of Mr Houston. Shall I tell you what I will do, my dear? I will consent to accept Captain Batsby as my son-in-law if he will consent to become your husband without having a shilling with you."
"Would that be kind, papa?"
"I do not think I could show you any greater kindness than to protect you from a man who I am quite sure does not care a farthing about you. He has, you tell me, an ample income of his own." "Oh yes, papa."
"Then he can afford to marry you without a fortune. Poor Mr Houston could not have done so, because he had nothing of his own. I declare, as I think of it all, I am becoming very tender-hearted towards Mr Houston. Don't you think we had better have Mr Houston back again? I suppose he would come if you were to send for him." Then she burst into tears and went away and hid herself.
CHAPTER 54 TOM'S LAST ATTEMPT
While Gertrude was still away on her ill-omened voyage in quest of a parson, Lady Tringle was stirred up to a great enterprise on behalf of her unhappy son. There wanted now little more than a fortnight before the starting of the ship which his father still declared should carry him out across the world, and he had progressed so far in contemplating the matter as to own to himself
"Papa," said Gertrude, to her father one evening, "don't you think you could do something for me too now?" Just at this time Sir Thomas, greatly to his own annoyance, was coming down to Merle Park every evening. According to their plans as at present arranged, they were to stay in the country till after Easter, and then they were to go up to town in time to despatch poor Tom upon his long journey round the world. But poor Tom was now in bed, apparently ill, and there seemed to be great doubt whether he could be made to go on the appointed day in spite of the taking of his berth and the preparation of his outfit. Tom, if well enough, was to sail on the nineteenth of April, and there now wanted not above ten days to that time. "Don't you think you could do something for me now?" asked Gertrude. Hitherto Sir Thomas had extended no sign of pardon to his youngest daughter, and never failed to allude to her and to Captain Batsby as "those two idiots" whenever their names were mentioned before him.
"Yes, my dear; I will endeavour to do a good deal for you if you will behave yourself."
"What do you call behaving myself, papa?"
"In the first place telling me that you are very sorry for your misbehaviour with that idiot."
"Of course I am sorry if I have offended you."
"Well, that shall go for something. But how about the idiot?" "Papa!" she exclaimed.
"Was he not an idiot? Would anyone but an idiot have gone on such an errand as that?"
"Gentlemen and ladies have done it before, papa."
"I doubt it," he said. "Gentlemen have run away with young ladies before, and generally have behaved very badly when they have done so. He behaved very badly indeed, because he had come to my house, with my sanction, with the express purpose of expressing his affection for another young lady. But I think that his folly in this special running away was worse even than his conduct. How did he come to think that he could get himself married merely by crossing over the sea to Ostend? I should be utterly ashamed of him as a son-in-law -- chiefly because he has shown himself to be an idiot."
"But, papa, you will accept him, won't you?"
"No, my dear, I will not."
"Not though I love him?"
"If I were to give you a choice which would you take, him or Mr Houston?"
"Houston is a scoundrel."
"Very likely; but then he is not an idiot. My choice would be altogether in favour of Mr Houston. Shall I tell you what I will do, my dear? I will consent to accept Captain Batsby as my son-in-law if he will consent to become your husband without having a shilling with you."
"Would that be kind, papa?"
"I do not think I could show you any greater kindness than to protect you from a man who I am quite sure does not care a farthing about you. He has, you tell me, an ample income of his own." "Oh yes, papa."
"Then he can afford to marry you without a fortune. Poor Mr Houston could not have done so, because he had nothing of his own. I declare, as I think of it all, I am becoming very tender-hearted towards Mr Houston. Don't you think we had better have Mr Houston back again? I suppose he would come if you were to send for him." Then she burst into tears and went away and hid herself.
CHAPTER 54 TOM'S LAST ATTEMPT
While Gertrude was still away on her ill-omened voyage in quest of a parson, Lady Tringle was stirred up to a great enterprise on behalf of her unhappy son. There wanted now little more than a fortnight before the starting of the ship which his father still declared should carry him out across the world, and he had progressed so far in contemplating the matter as to own to himself