\"Ihopeyouwon\'tfindoutyourmistakewhenitistoolate.Ifyouthinkofmarryingthatartistfellow,Thorpe,Imayaswelltellyouthathecanhardlysupporthimself,muchlessawife.\"
ThiswasmorethanMabelcouldbear.Sherosetoherfeet,andhereyesflashedfire.
\"Youhavenorighttosaythis,\"sheexclaimed.\"Mr.Thorpehasneverspokentomeoflove.Asforhiscircumstances,Ihaveneverconsideredthem.Ionlyknowthatheisagentleman.\"
Shesweptoutoftheroomindignantly,leavingMr.Chesterratherbewildered.Hetookhishatandleftthehouse,sorelydisappointed,andstillmoreangry.Hisvanityhadreceivedaseverewound,whichwouldtakealongertimetohealthanhisheart,whichhadnotbeensoseriouslyaffected.
AshewalkedtowardsthehotelhefeltverybittertowardsMabel,andscowledfiercelyatAllanThorpe,whomhehappenedtomeetontheway,though,asitwasdark,theartistwashappilyunconsciousofit.Hethirstedforrevenge.HewishedtoshowMabelthathewasnotinconsolable.Unhappilyforthebachelor,hewasinthismoodwhenhereachedthehotelandmetMissClementinaRaymond.
Hedidnotcareaparticleforher,butspiteagainstMissFrosthurriedhimontotheavowalofapassionthathedidnotfeel.Hisofferwasratheracool,business-likeproposalthananimpulsivedeclarationofaffection.ButClementinamadeupforhislackofsentimentbyabashfulconfusion,whichwasverywellassumed.
\"I
amsosurprised,andsoembarrassed,Mr.Chester,\"shesaid.
\"HowcouldIdreamthatyouwerekindenoughtoregardmewithsuchsentiments?Iought,perhaps,toconsultmamma.\"
\"Ifyouhaveanydoubtaboutyouranswer,\"saidMr.Chesterabruptly,alreadyhalfregrettinghisprecipitancy,\"saysowithouthesitation.\"
Evidentlythedelaywouldbedangerous,andClementinadecidedtosettlethematteratonce.
\"No,\"shesaid,\"Iwillnotconsultmamma.Iknowherhighopinionofyou,dearMr.Chester——letmesayRandolph.Ifyoucareforthislittlehand,itisyours,\"andshetimidlylaidalargeandwelldevelopedpalminhis.Shewasratherdisappointedthathedidnotpressittohislips.
InallthenovelsshehadtakenfromtheBrooklynMercantileLibrary,thatwaswhatenrapturedloversalwaysdidwhenaccepted.Mr.Chesterjustpressedthehandslightly,and,rising,saidinabusiness-likeway;\"Verywell,MissRaymond,wewillconsiderthemattersettled.Iwillleaveyounow,asyouwillprobablywishtotellyourmother.\"
ThiswasthewayinwhichClementinatoldhermotherthenews:\"Mamma,thatoldgoosehasproposed,andIhaveacceptedhim.\"
\"Whatoldgoose?\"
\"RandolphChester,ofcourse.He\'sasoldasthehills,buthe\'sgotmoney.\"
\"Andyouarenearlytwentyfive,mylove.\"
\"Oh,bother,mamma!What\'stheuseofmentioningmyage?Somebodymightbewithinhearing.Remember,ifheaskshowoldIam,youarenottoanswersoimpertinentaquestion.\"
\"Verywell,Clementina.Ofcourse,mychild,ourinterestsarethesame.I
amreallygladyouwillhaveahusbandofmeans.Ithasbeenveryhardtokeepupagenteelappearanceonourlimitedincome,anditwillbearelieftohavesomeonetoprovide.\"
\"Youareright,mother.OfcourseIwouldn\'tthinkofmarryingtheoldmummyifhehadn\'tplentyofmoney.Hethinkswearerich;soyoumustbecarefulnottodropanyhintofourrealsituationuntilafterwearemarried.
IwonderifIcan\'tinducehimtotakemetoEuropeforourweddingtour.\"
\"Thatwouldbeaverypleasantarrangement,Clementina.IalwayswantedtogotoEurope.\"
\"Ofcourseyoucouldn\'tgo,mamma,\"saidtheselfishdaughter.
\"IamsureMr.Chesterwouldn\'tagreetoit.Imayfinditveryhardtoinducehimtotakeme.\"
\"I
shouldbeverylonelyifyouleftmeathome,\"saidthedisappointedmother.
\"I
shouldwriteyouoften.Thatwoulddoalmost,aswell.\"
Mrs.
Raymonddidnotthinkso,butsheknewherdaughter\'shard,ingrainedselfishnesstoowelltopressthematter.ShereceivedMr.Chesteronthefootingofason-in-lawmostgraciously,thoughitdidoccurtoherthatitwouldhavebeenbetterifshecouldhavesecuredhimasahusbandinsteadofClementina;thenshecouldhavemadetheEuropeantour.
Itmaybeaswell,however,tosayherethatneithertomothernordaughterwererevealedthesceniccharmsofEurope.WhenRandolphChesterdiscoveredthathehadmarriedagenteelpauperhewasdeeplyincensed,andwasinnomoodtograntfavorstothewifewhohaddeceivedhim.Hemarriedinhaste,torepentatleisure.
Chapter12
Thedayofexaminationcame,andthesmallschoolroomwasthrongedwithvisitors.Theexercisespassedoffinthemostsatisfactorymanner.SquireHadley,aschairmanoftheSchoolCommittee,madethefirstspeech.Itwasnotamodelofeloquence,buthemadeitclearthatheconsideredtheschoolasuccessandtookcredittohimselfforengagingsocompetentateacher.Mr.Wilsonfollowed.Hetoo,expressedheartyapprovaloftheexercises,andtenderedhiscordialcongratulationstoMissFrostforremarkablesuccessininspiringthescholarswithaloveoflearning.
Hehopedthetownwouldbeabletoretaintheservicesofsoaccomplishedaninstructress.TohimsucceededAdoniramFry,who,inajocularway,lamentedthatasaboyithadnotbeeninhispowertobeascholarunderMissFrost\'sinstruction.Allwerecomplimentary,andMabel\'scheekswereflushedwithpleasure.
RandolphChesterwasnotpresentattheclosingexercises.NeitherweretheRaymonds.Theengagementhadleakedout,andthereforetheirabsencedidnotexcitesurprise.Itwasascertainedthattheyhaddriventoaneighboringtown.
Itwasnotdiscovered,however,tilllater,whattheirerrandwas.Theydroveatoncetotheresidenceofaclergyman,andwhentheyreturnedClementinawasMrs.RandolphChester.Clementinaherselfhadartfullyhintedhowromanticitwouldbe,andhowpeoplewouldbetakenbysurprise.Mr.Chestercarednothingforthis;butitoccurredtohimthatMabelwouldbemortifiedonlearninghowquicklyhehadbeenconsoledforherloss.PoorMr.Chester!Inafteryearshelookeduponthisasthemostidioticactofhislife.
IntheeveningAllanThorpecalledandinvitedMabeltogooutforawalk.Itwasabeautifulmoonlightnight.Theywalkedslowlytothepond,whichwasnotfaraway,andsatdownonarusticseatbeneathawidespreadingoak.Theyhadbeentalkingonvariousthingsforsometime,whenasuddensilencecameuponboth.
Itwasatlengthbrokenbytheyoungartist.
\"I
hopeyouwillforgivemeforbringingyouhere,\"hesaid.
\"Whyshouldyouwantforgiveness?\"sheasked,verymuchsurprised.
\"BecauseIbroughtyouherewithaspecialobjectinview.Rebukemeifyouwill,but——Mabel,Iloveyou.\"
Shedidnotseemmuchsurprised.
\"Howlonghasitbeenso?\"sheaskedinalowvoice.
\"I
begantoloveyou,\"heanswered,\"whenIfirstsawyouattheartists\'reception.ButyouweresofarremovedfrommethatIdidnotdaretoavowit,eventomyself.Youwerearichsocialqueen,andIwasapoorman.I
shouldneverhavedaredtotellyouallthisifyouhadnotlostyourwealth.\"
\"Doesthismakemeanymoreworthy?\"askedMabelsmiling.
\"Ithasbroughtyounearertome.WhenIsawhowbravelyyoumetadversefortune;whenIsawagirlbroughtuptoeveryluxury,asyouwere,quietlydevotingherselftoteachingavillageschool,Irejoiced.Iadmiredyoumorethanever,andIresolvedtowinyouifpossible.Canyougivemeahope,Mabel?
Hebentoverherwithalookoftenderaffectioninhismanlyface.
\"I
won\'tkeepyouinsuspense,Allan,\"shesaidwithanansweringlook.
\"Ihavenotknownyoulongbutlongenoughtotrustmyfutureinyourhands.\"
AfterawhileAllanThorpebegantodiscusshisplansandhopesforthefuture.
\"I
ambeginningtobesuccessful,\"hesaid.\"Ican,evennow,supportyouinamodestway,andwithhealthIfeelassuredofalarger——Ihopeamuchlarger——incomeintime.Icanrelieveyoufromteachingatonce.\"
Mabelsmiled.
\"ButsupposeIdonotconsideritaburden.SupposeIlikeit.\"
\"Thenyoucanteachme.\"
\"Itmightbecomemonotonoustohaveonlyonepupil.\"
\"I
hopenot,\"saidAllanearnestly.
Whenhepressedhertonameanearlydayfortheirmarriage,Mabelsaid:\"Beforewegoanyfurther,Ihaveaconfessiontomake.Ihopeitwon\'tbedisagreeabletoyou.\"
Hesilentlyinclinedhisheadtolisten.
\"WhotoldyouIhadlostmyproperty?\"sheasked.
\"Noone.Iinferreditfromfindingyouhere,teachingavillageschoolforsevendollarsaweek,\"repliedAllan.
\"What!Haveyouinquiredmyincomesoexactly?Ifearyouaremercenary.\"
\"I
canrememberthetime——notsolongsince,either——whenIearnedlessthanthatbymyart.But,Mabel,whatdoyoumeanbyyourquestions?Ofcourseyouhavelostyourproperty.\"
\"Thenmybankerhasfailedtoinformmeofit.No,Allan,IamnopoorerthanIeverwas.\"
\"Why,then,didyoubecomeateacher?\"askedAllanThorpe,bewildered.
\"BecauseIwishedtobeofsomeservicetomykind;becauseIwastiredofthehollowfrivolityofthefashionableworld.Idon\'tregretmyexperiment.I
neverexpectedtobesorichlyrewarded.\"
\"Andyou,asrichasever,bestowyourhandonapoorartist?\"heexclaimedalmostincredulously.
\"Unlessthepoorartistwithdrawshisoffer,\"sheansweredwithasmile.
OftheconversationthatfolloweditisneedfulonlytoreportthatitwasmutuallydecidedthatMabel\'ssecretwastobekeptforthepresent.ShewasstilltobethepoorschoolteacherintheeyesofGranville.ThemarriagewastotakeplaceinOctober,MabelbeingreconciledtothebriefnessoftheengagementbytherepresentationthatOctoberwouldbeafavorablemonthforavoyagetoEurope.TheyhadalreadydecidedtospendtwoyearsinItaly.MabelhadalwayslongedtoseeItaly,anditwouldnodoubtbefullofdelightfulopportunitiesofimprovementinhisartforAllanThorpe.
Mabel\'sengagementmadeasecondsensation,Mr.Chester\'selopementbeingthefirst.
Manywerethecongratulationsoffered,thoughtheseweremingledwithregretthatsogoodateachershouldbelosttothevillage.Mr.Chesterheardthenewsingloomysilence.Hiswiferemarkedpatronizinglythatitwasaverysuitablematch,for\"bothareaspooraspoverty,goodnessknows!\"
TheweddingtookplacequietlyinOctober,andinGranville.NooneasyetknewthatMabelwasotherthansheseemed,thoughMr.Wilsonhadbeeninformedofherrealname.When,however,acheckforfivehundreddollarswashandedtohimashisfeeforcelebratingthemarriage,hefalteredinamazement,asheinquired,\"Whatdoesthismean,Allan?\"
\"Itmeans,mydearuncle,thatMabelisnotonlyrichineveryvirtueandeveryaccomplishment,butsheisalsoburdenedwithalargeportionofthisworld\'sgoods.Thisismyfirstopportunityforsayingwhatsheauthorizedmetosay,thatwewillgladlydefrayRalph\'sexpensesthroughcollegewheneveryouarereadytosendhim.\"
\"Godisindeedgoodtomeandmine!\"saidtheminister,hisfacebeamingwithhappiness.\"Mydearchild\"——thiswastoMabel——
\"mayyoualwaysbeashappyasyouhavemadeus.\"
\"Youhavemadeusallhappy,dearMabel,\"saidherhusband.\"ItwasindeedablesseddaywhenyoucametoGranvilletoteach.\"
