The Widowed Bride — page 191: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

182 “HH WIDOWED BRIDE. But Ernest Evelyn is his own master,’ ‘Literally speaking, I suppose he is; me I have ie heard he has not a penny beyond his pay in the Dra- goons, and what the generosity of the Karl of Glenhampton allows him. ‘T'o marry this girl would be pecuniary ruin, to say nothing of the risk he would run of mortally offend- ing both his mother and his step-father.” “<T am tired of hearing love and marriage discussed as if they were a mere matter of bargain and sale!” cried Mrs. Eskett, with crimsoned cheeks and sparkling eyes. ‘‘Are people to be allowed no independence of action? You, | Ralph, who are a minister of the gospel, should be the last person to lend your countenance to a system which grinds down all the better and holier instincts of our nature.” ‘“‘My dear,” said patient Mr. Eskett, ‘“‘I have asserted once that 1 am not now expressing my own opinions, but merely acting as the guardian of other’s interests. While Captain Evelyn is a guest at Tregarvan Rectory, I am, to a certain extent, morally responsible for him to the countess, his mother.” pa what course do you intend to pursue, Ralph?” she asked ‘‘Why, I suppose I ought to tell Ernest frankly that he had better pack up his traps and take himself off before he gets any deeper into the slough of despond that these crazy young people call ‘love!’ ” | “Will he take it pleasantly ?” ‘‘He ought to take it exactly in the spirit in which it is meant. If he doesn’t I cannot help it!” answered the rec- tor, with a quiet decision in his tone, which Mrs. Eskett always respected, although it seldom appeared. ‘‘I sup- pose : had better go to him at once. Do you know where he is?” ‘‘He has taken Alice out for a drive to Cherwyllyn’s Point. Poor young things—let them have one day more of happi- ness. Don’t speak to him until to-morrow morning.’ ‘‘Itis my duty to speak at once, Theresa,” said the god rector, gravely. ‘‘And the children?” “They are off in the woods gathering berries with old Margery. I told them they might havea holiday for once.’ Mrs. Eskett’s eyes fell, and her lips broke into a mis- chievous yet self-condemning smile as her husband looked steadily at her. But the expected lecture for ‘‘aiding and Eomicbooks:.co