‘Well then!’
’I have to examine myself, and find whether
I am guilty of the meanness which I might perhaps
be too ready to impute to another. I have done
so, and I am quite sure that I am not drawn to your
sister by any desire for her money. I did not
seek her because she was a rich man’s daughter,
nor,—because she is a rich man’s
daughter will I give her up. Nothing but a word
from her shall induce me to leave her;—but
a word from her, if it comes from her own lips,—shall
do so.’ Then he took his friend’s
hand in his, and having grasped it, walked away without
saying another word.
Miss Boncassen’s River-Party No. 1
Thrice within the next three weeks did Lord Silverbridge
go forth to ask Mabel to be his wife, but thrice in
vain. On one occasion she would talk on other
things. On the second Miss Cassewary would not
leave her. On the third the conversation turned
in a very disagreeable way on Miss Boncassen, as to
whom Lord Silverbridge could not but think that Lady
Mabel said some very ill-natured things. It was
no doubt true that he, during the last three weeks,
had often been in Miss Boncassen’s company, that
he had danced with her, ridden with her, taken her
to the House of Lords and the House of Commons, and
was now engaged to attend upon her at a river-party
up above Maidenhead. But Mabel had certainly no
right to complain. Had he not thrice during the
same period come there to lay the coronet at her feet;—and
now, at this very moment, was it not her fault that
he was not going through the ceremony?
‘I suppose,’ she said, laughing, ‘that
it is all settled.’
‘What is all settled?’
‘About you and the American beauty.’
‘I am not aware that anything in particular
has been settled.’
‘Then it ought to be,—oughtn’t
it? For her sake, I mean.’
‘That is so like an English woman,’ said
Lord Silverbridge. ’Because you cannot
understand a manner of life a little different from
your own you will impute evil.’
’I have imputed no evil, Lord Silverbridge,
and you have no right to say so.’
‘If you mean to assert,’ said Miss Cass,
’that the manners of American young ladies are
freer than those of English young ladies, it is you
that are taking away their characters.’
‘I don’t say it would be at all bad,’
continued Lady Mabel. ’She is a beautiful
girl, and very clever, and would make a charming Duchess.
And then it would be such a delicious change to have
an American Duchess.’
‘She wouldn’t be a Duchess.’
’Well, Countess, with Duchessship before her
in the remote future. Wouldn’t it be a
change, Miss Cass?’
‘Oh decidedly!’ said Miss Cass.
’And very much for the better. Quite a
case of new blood, you know. Pray don’t
suppose that I mean to object. Everybody who
talks about it approves. I haven’t heard
a single dissentient voice. Only as it has gone
so far, and English people are too stupid you know
to understand all these new ways,—don’t
you think perhaps—?’
