The Last Chronicle of Barset [113]
it is all that I wish you to do.'
'But you will see him yourself?'
'No, mother; not till I have been to Allington. Then I will see him again or not, just as he pleases. I shall stop at Guestwick, and will write to a line from thence. If my father decides on doing anything, let me know at once, as it will be necessary that I should get rid of the lease of my house.'
'Oh, Henry!'
'I have thought a great deal about it, mother, and I believe I am right. Whether I am right or wrong, I shall do it. I will not ask you now for any promise or pledge; but should Miss Crawley become my wife, I hope that you at least will not refuse to see her as your daughter.' Having so spoken, he kissed his mother, and was about to leave the room; but she held him by his arm, and he saw that her eyes were full of tears. 'Dearest mother, if I grieve you I am sorry indeed.'
'Not me, not me, not me,' she said.
'For my father, I cannot help it. Had he not threatened me I should have told him also. As he has done so, you must tell him. But give him my kindest love.'
'Oh, Henry; you will be ruined. You will, indeed. Can you not wait? Remember how headstrong your father is, and how good;--and how he loves you! Think of all he that he has done for you. When did he refuse you anything?'
'He has been good to me, but in this I cannot obey him. He should not ask me.'
'You are wrong. You are indeed. He has a right to expect that you will not bring disgrace upon the family.'
'Nor will I;--except such disgrace as shall attend upon poverty. Good-bye, mother. I wish you could have said one kind word to me.'
'Have I not said a kind word?'
'Not as yet, mother.'
'I would not for the world speak unkindly to you. If it were not for your father I would bid you bring whom you pleased home to me as your wife; and I would be as a mother to her. And if this girl should become your wife--'
'It shall not be my fault if she does not.'
'I will try to love her--some day.'
Then the major went, leaving Edith at the rectory, as requested by his mother. His own dog-cart and servant were at Plumstead, and he drove himself home to Cosby Lodge.
When the archdeacon returned the news was told to him at once. 'Henry has gone to Allington to propose to Miss Crawley,' said Mrs Grantly.
'Gone--without speaking to me!'
'He left his love, and said that it was useless remaining, as he knew he should only offend you.'
'He has made his bed, and he must lie upon it,' said the archdeacon. And then there was not another word said about Grace Crawley on that occasion.
CHAPTER XXIII
MISS LILY DALE'S RESOLUTION
The ladies at the Small House at Allington breakfasted always at nine--a liberal nine; and the postman whose duty it was to deliver letters in that village at half-past eight, being also liberal in his ideas as to time, always arrived punctually in the middle of breakfast, so that Mrs Dale expected her letters, and Lily hers, just before the second cup of tea, as though the letters formed a part of the morning meal. Jane, the maidservant, always brought them in, and handed them to Mrs Dale --for Lily had in these days come to preside at the breakfast table; and then there would be an examination of the outsides before the envelopes were violated, and as each party knew pretty well the circumstances of the correspondence of the other, there would be some guessing as to what this or that epistle might contain; and after that a reading out loud of passages, and not unfrequently the entire letter. But now, at the time of which I am speaking, Grace Crawley was at the Small House, and therefore the common practice was somewhat in abeyance.
On one of the first days of the new year Jane brought in the letters as usual, and handed them to Mrs Dale. Lily was at the time occupied with the teapot, but still she saw the letters, and had not her hands so full as to be debarred from the expression of her usual anxiety. 'Mamma, I'm sure I see two there for me,' she said. 'Only one for you, Lily,' said Mrs Dale. Lily instantly knew
'But you will see him yourself?'
'No, mother; not till I have been to Allington. Then I will see him again or not, just as he pleases. I shall stop at Guestwick, and will write to a line from thence. If my father decides on doing anything, let me know at once, as it will be necessary that I should get rid of the lease of my house.'
'Oh, Henry!'
'I have thought a great deal about it, mother, and I believe I am right. Whether I am right or wrong, I shall do it. I will not ask you now for any promise or pledge; but should Miss Crawley become my wife, I hope that you at least will not refuse to see her as your daughter.' Having so spoken, he kissed his mother, and was about to leave the room; but she held him by his arm, and he saw that her eyes were full of tears. 'Dearest mother, if I grieve you I am sorry indeed.'
'Not me, not me, not me,' she said.
'For my father, I cannot help it. Had he not threatened me I should have told him also. As he has done so, you must tell him. But give him my kindest love.'
'Oh, Henry; you will be ruined. You will, indeed. Can you not wait? Remember how headstrong your father is, and how good;--and how he loves you! Think of all he that he has done for you. When did he refuse you anything?'
'He has been good to me, but in this I cannot obey him. He should not ask me.'
'You are wrong. You are indeed. He has a right to expect that you will not bring disgrace upon the family.'
'Nor will I;--except such disgrace as shall attend upon poverty. Good-bye, mother. I wish you could have said one kind word to me.'
'Have I not said a kind word?'
'Not as yet, mother.'
'I would not for the world speak unkindly to you. If it were not for your father I would bid you bring whom you pleased home to me as your wife; and I would be as a mother to her. And if this girl should become your wife--'
'It shall not be my fault if she does not.'
'I will try to love her--some day.'
Then the major went, leaving Edith at the rectory, as requested by his mother. His own dog-cart and servant were at Plumstead, and he drove himself home to Cosby Lodge.
When the archdeacon returned the news was told to him at once. 'Henry has gone to Allington to propose to Miss Crawley,' said Mrs Grantly.
'Gone--without speaking to me!'
'He left his love, and said that it was useless remaining, as he knew he should only offend you.'
'He has made his bed, and he must lie upon it,' said the archdeacon. And then there was not another word said about Grace Crawley on that occasion.
CHAPTER XXIII
MISS LILY DALE'S RESOLUTION
The ladies at the Small House at Allington breakfasted always at nine--a liberal nine; and the postman whose duty it was to deliver letters in that village at half-past eight, being also liberal in his ideas as to time, always arrived punctually in the middle of breakfast, so that Mrs Dale expected her letters, and Lily hers, just before the second cup of tea, as though the letters formed a part of the morning meal. Jane, the maidservant, always brought them in, and handed them to Mrs Dale --for Lily had in these days come to preside at the breakfast table; and then there would be an examination of the outsides before the envelopes were violated, and as each party knew pretty well the circumstances of the correspondence of the other, there would be some guessing as to what this or that epistle might contain; and after that a reading out loud of passages, and not unfrequently the entire letter. But now, at the time of which I am speaking, Grace Crawley was at the Small House, and therefore the common practice was somewhat in abeyance.
On one of the first days of the new year Jane brought in the letters as usual, and handed them to Mrs Dale. Lily was at the time occupied with the teapot, but still she saw the letters, and had not her hands so full as to be debarred from the expression of her usual anxiety. 'Mamma, I'm sure I see two there for me,' she said. 'Only one for you, Lily,' said Mrs Dale. Lily instantly knew