The Way We Live Now, Anthony Trollope [good story books to read .txt] 📗

would make as good a husband as could be picked out of all the gentlemen of England; but in his present mood with me he is not a comfortable host. What nonsense he did talk about the Melmottes!”

“I don’t suppose, mamma, that Mr. and Mrs. Melmotte can be nice people.”

“Why shouldn’t they be as nice as anybody else? Pray, Henrietta, don’t let us have any of that nonsense from you. When it comes from the superhuman virtue of poor dear Roger it has to be borne, but I beg that you will not copy him.”

“Mamma, I think that is unkind.”

“And I shall think it very unkind if you take upon yourself to abuse people who are able and willing to set poor Felix on his legs. A word from you might undo all that we are doing.”

“What word?”

“What word? Any word! If you have any influence with your brother you should use it in inducing him to hurry this on. I am sure the girl is willing enough. She did refer him to her father.”

“Then why does he not go to Mr. Melmotte?”

“I suppose he is delicate about it on the score of money. If Roger could only let it be understood that Felix is the heir to this place, and that some day he will be Sir Felix Carbury of Carbury, I don’t think there would be any difficulty even with old Melmotte.”

“How could he do that, mamma?”

“If your cousin were to die as he is now, it would be so. Your brother would be his heir.”

“You should not think of such a thing, mamma.”

“Why do you dare to tell me what I am to think? Am I not to think of my own son? Is he not to be dearer to me than anyone? And what I say, is so. If Roger were to die tomorrow he would be Sir Felix Carbury of Carbury.”

“But, mamma, he will live and have a family. Why should he not?”

“You say he is so old that you will not look at him.”

“I never said so. When we were joking, I said he was old. You know I did not mean that he was too old to get married. Men a great deal older get married every day.”

“If you don’t accept him he will never marry. He is a man of that kind⁠—so stiff and stubborn and old-fashioned that nothing will change him. He will go on boodying over it, till he will become an old misanthrope. If you would take him I would be quite contented. You are my child as well as Felix. But if you mean to be obstinate I do wish that the Melmottes should be made to understand that the property and title and name of the place will all go together. It will be so, and why should not Felix have the advantage?”

“Who is to say it?”

“Ah;⁠—that’s where it is. Roger is so violent and prejudiced that one cannot get him to speak rationally.”

“Oh, mamma;⁠—you wouldn’t suggest it to him;⁠—that this place is to go to⁠—Felix, when he⁠—is dead!”

“It would not kill him a day sooner.”

“You would not dare to do it, mamma.”

“I would dare to do anything for my children. But you need not look like that, Henrietta. I am not going to say anything to him of the kind. He is not quick enough to understand of what infinite service he might be to us without in any way hurting himself.” Henrietta would fain have answered that their cousin was quick enough for anything, but was by far too honest to take part in such a scheme as that proposed. She refrained, however, and was silent. There was no sympathy on the matter between her and her mother. She was beginning to understand the tortuous mazes of manoeuvres in which her mother’s mind had learned to work, and to dislike and almost to despise them. But she felt it to be her duty to abstain from rebukes.

In the afternoon Lady Carbury, alone, had herself driven into Beccles that she might telegraph to her son. “You are to dine at Caversham on Monday. Come on Saturday if you can. She is there.” Lady Carbury had many doubts as to the wording of this message. The female in the office might too probably understand who was the “She,” who was spoken of as being at Caversham, and might understand also the project, and speak of it publicly. But then it was essential that Felix should know how great and certain was the opportunity afforded to him. He had promised to come on Saturday and return on Monday⁠—and, unless warned, would too probably stick to his plan and throw over the Longestaffes and their dinner-party. Again if he were told to come simply for the Monday, he would throw over the chance of wooing her on the Sunday. It was Lady Carbury’s desire to get him down for as long a period as was possible, and nothing surely would so tend to bring him and to keep him, as a knowledge that the heiress was already in the neighbourhood. Then she returned, and shut herself up in her bedroom, and worked for an hour or two at a paper which she was writing for the Breakfast Table. Nobody should ever accuse her justly of idleness. And afterwards, as she walked by herself round and round the garden, she revolved in her mind the scheme of a new book. Whatever might happen she would persevere. If the Carburys were unfortunate their misfortunes should come from no fault of hers. Henrietta passed the whole day alone. She did not see her cousin from breakfast till he appeared in the drawing-room before dinner. But she was thinking of him during every minute of the day⁠—how good he was, how honest, how thoroughly entitled to demand at any rate kindness at her hand! Her mother had spoken of him as of one who might be regarded as all but dead and buried, simply because