I know that he is a clergyman who believes what he preaches. I know a Wall Street broker who left St. Jude's church because Mr. Stanhope's sermons on Sunday put such a fine edge on his conscience that Mondays were dangerous days for him to do business on. And whatever Wall Street financiers think of the Bible personally, they do like a man who sticks to his colors, and who holds intact the truth committed to him. Stanhope does this emphatically; and he is so well trusted that if he wanted to build a new church he could get all the money necessary, from Wall Street men in an hour. And he is going to marry! Going to marry Dora Denning! It is `extraordinary news,' indeed!"Ethel was a little offended at such unusual surprise. "I think you don't quite understand Dora," she said. "It will be Mr. Stanhope's fault if she is not led in the right way;for if he only loves and pets her enough he may do all he wishes with her. I know, Ihave both coaxed and ordered her for four years--sometimes one way is best, and sometimes the other.""How is a man to tell which way to take?
What do her parents think of the marriage?"
"They are pleased with it."
"Pleased with it! Then I have nothing more to say, except that I hope they will not appeal to me on any question of divorce that may arise from such an unlikely marriage.""They are only lovers yet, Edward," said Ruth. "It is not fair, or kind, to even think of divorce.""My dear Ruth, the fashionable girl of today accepts marriage with the provision of divorce.""Dora is hardly one of that set."
"I hope she may keep out of it, but marriage will give her many opportunities. Well, I am sorry for the young priest. He isn't fit to manage a woman like Dora Denning.
I am afraid he will get the worst of it."
"I think you are very unkind, father.
Dora is my friend, and I know her. She is a girl of intense feelings and very affectionate.
And she has dissolved all her life and mind in Mr. Stanhope's life and mind, just as a lump of sugar is dissolved in water."Ruth laughed. "Can you not find a more poetic simile, Ethel?""It will do. This is an age of matter; a material symbol is the proper thing.""I am glad to hear she has dissolved her mind in Stanhope's," said Judge Rawdon.
"Dora's intellect in itself is childish. What did the man see in her that he should desire her?""Father, you never can tell how much brains men like with their beauty. Very little will do generally. And Dora has beauty --great beauty; no one can deny that. Ithink Dora is giving up a great deal. To her, at least, marriage is a state of passing from perfect freedom into the comparative condition of a slave, giving up her own way constantly for some one else's way.""Well, Ethel, the remedy is in the lady's hands. She is not forced to marry, and the slavery that is voluntary is no hardship.
Now, my dear, I have a case to look over, and you must excuse me to-night. To-morrow we shall know more concerning Mr. Mostyn, and it is easier to talk about certainties than probabilities."But if conversation ceased about Mr. Mostyn, thought did not; for, a couple of hours afterwards, Ethel tapped at her aunt's door and said, "Just a moment, Ruth.""Yes, dear, what is it?"
"Did you notice what father said about the mortgage on Rawdon Manor"'
"Yes."
"He seemed to know all about it."
"I think he does know all about it."
"Do you think he holds it?"
"He may do so--it is not unlikely."
"Oh! Then Mr. Fred Mostyn, if he is to inherit Rawdon, would like the mortgage removed?""Of course he would."
"And the way to remove it would be to marry the daughter of the holder of the mortgage?""It would be one way."
"So he is coming to look me over. I am a matrimonial possibility. How do you like that idea, Aunt Ruth?""I do not entertain it for a moment.
Mr. Mostyn may not even know of the mortgage.
When men mortgage their estates they do not make confidences about the matter, or talk it over with their friends. They always conceal and hide the transaction. If your father holds the mortgage, I feel sure that no one but himself and Squire Rawdon know anything about it. Don't look at the wrong side of events, Ethel; be content with the right side of life's tapestry. Why are you not asleep? What are you worrying about?""Nothing, only I have not heard all I wanted to hear."
"And perhaps that is good for you."
"I shall go and see grandmother first thing in the morning.""I would not if I were you. You cannot make any excuse she will not see through.
Your father will call on Mr. Mostyn to-morrow, and we shall get unprejudiced information.""Oh, I don't know that, Ruth. Father is intensely American three hundred and sixty-four days and twenty-three hours in a year, and then in the odd hour he will flare up Yorkshire like a conflagration.""English, you mean?"
"No. Yorkshire IS England to grandmother and father. They don't think anything much of the other counties, and people from them are just respectable foreigners.
You may depend upon it, whatever grandmother says of Mr. Fred Mostyn, father will believe it, too.""Your father always believes whatever your grandmother says. Good night, dear.""Good night. I think I shall go to grandmother in the morning. I know how to manage her. I shall meet her squarely with the truth, and acknowledge that I am dying with curiosity about Mr. Mostyn.""And she will tease and lecture you, say you are `not sweetheart high yet, only a little maid,' and so on. Far better go and talk with Dora. To-morrow she will need you, I am sure. Ethel, I am very sleepy. Good night again, dear.""Good night!" Then with a sudden animation, "I know what to do, I shall tell grandmother about Dora's marriage. It is all plain enough now. Good night, Ruth."And this good night, though dropping sweetly into the minor third, had yet on its final inflection something of the pleasant hopefulness of its major key--it expressed anticipation and satisfaction.
What happened in the night session she could not tell, but she awoke with a positive disinclination to ask a question about Mr.
