Doctor Thorne, Anthony Trollope [best book reader .txt] 📗

>would say that there is quite as much difference between

them as between a bishop and a curate. And so I think

there is.

 

I don’t wish at all to speak of my own feelings; but if he

were not an attorney, he is, I think, the sort of man I

should like. He is very nice in every way, and if you were

not told, I don’t think you’d know he was an attorney.

But, dear Amelia, I will be guided by you altogether. He

is certainly much nicer than Mr Moffat, and has a great

deal more to say for himself. Of course, Mr Moffat having

been in Parliament, and having been taken up by uncle

de Courcy, was in a different sphere; but I really felt

almost relieved when he behaved in that way. With Mortimer

Gazebee, I think it would be different.

 

I shall wait so impatiently for your answer, so do pray

write at once. I hear some people say that these sort of

things are not so much thought of now as they were once,

and that all manner of marriages are considered to be

comme il faut. I do not want, you know, to make myself

foolish by being too particular. Perhaps all these changes

are bad, and I rather think they are; but if the world

changes, one must change too; one can’t go against the

world.

 

So do write and tell me what you think. Do not suppose

that I dislike the man, for I really cannot say that I do.

But I would not for anything make an alliance for which

any one bearing the name of de Courcy would have to blush.

 

Always, dearest Amelia,

 

Your most affectionate cousin,

 

AUGUSTA GRESHAM.

 

P.S.—I fear Frank is going to be very foolish with Mary

Thorne. You know it is absolutely important that Frank

should marry money.

 

It strikes me as quite possible that Mortimer Gazebee may

be in Parliament some of these days. He is just the man

for it.

 

Poor Augusta prayed very hard for her husband; but she prayed to a

bosom that on this subject was as hard as a flint, and she prayed

in vain. Augusta Gresham was twenty-two, Lady Amelia de Courcy was

thirty-four; was it likely that Lady Amelia would permit Augusta

to marry, the issue having thus been left in her hands? Why should

Augusta derogate from her position by marrying beneath herself,

seeing that Lady Amelia had spent so many more years in the world

without having found it necessary to do so? Augusta’s letter was

written on two sheets of note-paper, crossed all over; and Lady

Amelia’s answer was almost equally formidable.

 

Lady Amelia de Courcy to Miss Augusta Gresham

 

Courcy Castle, June, 185—.

 

MY DEAR AUGUSTA,

 

I received your letter yesterday morning, but I have put

off answering it till this evening, as I have wished to

give it very mature consideration. The question is one

which concerns, not only your character, but happiness

for life, and nothing less than very mature consideration

would justify me in giving a decided opinion on the

subject.

 

In the first place, I may tell you, that I have not a word

to say against Mr Mortimer Gazebee. [When Augusta had read

as far as this, her heart sank within her; the rest was

all leather and prunella; she saw at once that the fiat

had gone against her, and that her wish to become Mrs

Mortimer Gazebee was not to be indulged.] I have known

him for a long time, and I believe him to be a very

respectable person, and I have no doubt a good man of

business. The firm of Messrs Gumption & Gazebee stands

probably quite among the first attorneys in London, and I

know that papa has a very high opinion of them.

 

All of these would be excellent arguments to use in favour

of Mr Gazebee as a suitor, had his proposals been made to

any one in his own rank of life. But you, in considering

the matter, should, I think, look on it in a very

different light. The very fact that you pronounce him to

be so much superior to other attorneys, shows in how very

low esteem you hold the profession in general. It shows

also, dear Augusta, how well aware you are that they are a

class of people among whom you should not seek a partner

for life.

 

My opinion is, that you should make Mr Gazebee

understand—very courteously, of course—that you cannot

accept his hand. You observe that he himself confesses,

that in marrying you he would seek a wife in a rank above

his own. Is it not, therefore, clear, that in marrying

him, you would descend to a rank below your own?

 

I shall be very sorry if this grieves you; but still

it will be better that you should bear the grief of

overcoming a temporary fancy, than take a step which may

so probably make you unhappy; and which some of your

friends would certainly regard as disgraceful.

 

It is not permitted to us, my dear Augusta, to think of

ourselves in such matters. As you truly say, if we were

to act in that way, what would the world come to? It has

been God’s pleasure that we should be born with high blood

in our veins. This is a great boon which we both value,

but the boon has its responsibilities as well as its

privileges. It is established by law, that the royal

family shall not intermarry with subjects. In our case

there is no law, but the necessity is not the less felt;

we should not intermarry with those who are probably

of a lower rank. Mr Mortimer Gazebee is, after all,

only an attorney; and, although you speak of his

great-grandfather, he is a man of no blood whatsoever. You

must acknowledge that such an admixture should be looked

on by a de Courcy, or even by a Gresham, as a pollution.

[Here Augusta got very red, and she felt almost inclined

to be angry with her cousin.] Beatrice’s marriage with Mr

Oriel is different; though, remember, I am by no means

defending that; it may be good or bad, and I have had no

opportunity of inquiring respecting Mr Oriel’s family.

Beatrice, moreover, has never appeared to me to feel

what was due to herself in such matters; but, as I

said, her marriage with Mr Oriel is very different.

Clergymen—particularly the rectors and vicars of country

parishes—do become privileged above other professional

men. I could explain why, but it would be too long in a

letter.

 

Your feelings on the subject altogether do you great

credit. I have no doubt that Mr Gresham, if asked, would

accede to the match; but that is just the reason why he

should not be asked. It would not be right that I should

say anything against your father to you; but it is

impossible for any of us not to see that all through life

he has thrown away every advantage, and sacrificed his

family. Why is he now in debt, as you say? Why is he not

holding the family seat in Parliament? Even though you are

his daughter, you cannot but feel that you would not do

right to consult him on such a subject.

 

As to dear aunt, I feel sure, that were she in good

health, and left to exercise her own judgement, she would

not wish to see you married to the agent for the family

estate. For, dear Augusta, that is the real truth. Mr

Gazebee often comes here in the way of business; and

though papa always receives him as a gentleman—that is,

he dines at table and all that—he is not on the same

footing in the house as the ordinary guests and friends of

the family. How would you like to be received at Courcy

Castle in the same way?

 

You will say, perhaps, that you would still be papa’s

niece; so you would. But you know how strict in such

matters papa is, and you must remember, that the wife

always follows the rank of the husband. Papa is accustomed

to the strict etiquette of a court, and I am sure that no

consideration would induce him to receive the estate-agent

in the light of a nephew. Indeed, were you to marry Mr

Gazebee, the house to which he belongs would, I imagine,

have to give up the management of this property.

 

Even were Mr Gazebee in Parliament—and I do not see how

it is probable that he should get there—it would not make

any difference. You must remember, dearest, that I never

was an advocate for the Moffat match. I acquiesced in it,

because mamma did so. If I could have had my own way,

I would adhere to all our old prescriptive principles.

Neither money nor position can atone to me for low birth.

But the world, alas! is retrograding; and, according to

the new-fangled doctrines of the day, a lady of blood is

not disgraced by allying herself to a man of wealth, and

what may be called quasi-aristocratic position. I wish it

were otherwise; but so it is. And, therefore, the match

with Mr Moffat was not disgraceful, though it could not be

regarded as altogether satisfactory.

 

But with Mr Gazebee the matter would be altogether

different. He is a man earning his bread; honestly, I

dare say, but in a humble position. You say he is very

respectable: I do not doubt it; and so is Mr Scraggs,

the butcher at Courcy. You see, Augusta, to what such

arguments reduce you.

 

I dare say he may be nicer than Mr Moffat, in one way.

That is, he may have more small-talk at his command, and

be more clever in all those little pursuits and amusements

which are valued by ordinary young ladies. But my

opinion is, that neither I nor you would be justified in

sacrificing ourselves for such amusements. We have high

duties before us. It may be that the performance of those

duties will prohibit us from taking a part in the ordinary

arena of the feminine world. It is natural that girls

should wish to marry; and, therefore, those who are weak,

take the first that come. Those who have more judgement,

make some sort of selection. But the strongest-minded are,

perhaps, those who are able to forgo themselves and their

own fancies, and to refrain from any alliance that does

not tend to the maintenance of high principles. Of course,

I speak of those who have blood in their veins. You and I

need not dilate as to the conduct of others.

 

I hope what I have said will convince you. Indeed, I know

that it only requires that you and I should have a little

cousinly talk on this matter to be quite in accord. You

must now remain at Greshamsbury till Mr Gazebee shall

return. Immediately that he does so, seek an interview

with him; do not wait till he asks for it; then tell him,

that when he addressed you, the matter had taken you so

much by surprise, that you were not at the moment able to

answer him with that decision that the subject demanded.

Tell him, that you are flattered—in saying this, however,

you must keep a collected countenance, and be very cold

in your manner—but that family reasons would forbid you

to avail yourself of his offer, even did no other cause

prevent it.

 

And then, dear Augusta, come to us here. I know you

will be a little down-hearted after going through this

struggle; but I will endeavour to inspirit you. When we

are both together, you will feel