第11章

ItwasnotmanyweeksafterthisbeforeIwasaboutthehouse

again，andbegantogrowwell；butIcontinuedmelancholy，

silent，dull，andretired，whichamazedthewholefamily，except

hethatknewthereasonofit；yetitwasagreatwhilebefore

hetookanynoticeofit，andI，asbackwardtospeakashe，

carriedrespectfullytohim，butneverofferedtospeakaword

tohimthatwasparticularofanykindwhatsoever；andthis

continuedforsixteenorseventeenweeks；sothat，asIexpected

everydaytobedismissedthefamily，onaccountofwhat

distastetheyhadtakenanotherway，inwhichIhadnoguilt，

soIexpectedtohearnomoreofthisgentleman，afterallhis

solemnvowsandprotestations，buttoberuinedandabandoned。

AtlastIbrokethewaymyselfinthefamilyformyremoving；

forbeingtalkingseriouslywiththeoldladyoneday，about

myowncircumstancesintheworld，andhowmydistemper

hadleftaheavinessuponmyspirits，thatIwasnotthesame

thingIwasbefore，theoldladysaid，’Iamafraid，Betty，what

Ihavesaidtoyouaboutmysonhashadsomeinfluenceupon

you，andthatyouaremelancholyonhisaccount；pray，will

youletmeknowhowthematterstandswithyouboth，ifit

maynotbeimproper？

For，asforRobin，hedoesnothingbut

rallyandbanterwhenIspeakofittohim。’

’Why，truly，

madam，’saidI’thatmatterstandsasIwishitdidnot，andI

shallbeverysincerewithyouinit，whateverbefallsmeforit。

Mr。Roberthasseveraltimesproposedmarriagetome，which

iswhatIhadnoreasontoexpect，mypoorcircumstances

considered；butIhavealwaysresistedhim，andthatperhaps

intermsmorepositivethanbecameme，consideringtheregard

thatIoughttohaveforeverybranchofyourfamily；but，’said

I，’madam，Icouldneversofarforgetmyobligationtoyou

andallyourhouse，tooffertoconsenttoathingwhichIknow

mustneedsbedisobligingtoyou，andthisIhavemademy

argumenttohim，andhavepositivelytoldhimthatIwould

neverentertainathoughofthatkindunlessIhadyourconsent，

andhisfather’salso，towhomIwasboundbysomany

invincibleobligations。’

’Andisthispossible，Mrs。Betty？’saystheoldlady。

’Then

youhavebeenmuchjustertousthanwehavebeentoyou；

forwehavealllookeduponyouasakindofsnaretomyson，

andIhadaproposaltomaketoyouforyourremoving，for

fearofit；butIhadnotyetmentionedittoyou，becauseI

thoughtyouwerenotthoroughwell，andIwasafraidof

grievingyoutoomuch，lestitshouldthrowyoudownagain；

forwehaveallarespectforyoustill，thoughnotsomuchas

tohaveitbetheruinofmyson；butifitbeasyousay，wehave

allwrongedyouverymuch。’

’AstothetruthofwhatIsay，madam，’saidI，’referyouto

yoursonhimself；ifhewilldomeanyjustice，hemusttellyou

thestoryjustasIhavetoldit。’

EndofPart2

Part3

Awaygoestheoldladytoherdaughtersandtellsthemthe

wholestory，justasIhadtoldither；andtheyweresurprised

atit，youmaybesure，asIbelievedtheywouldbe。

Onesaid

shecouldneverhavethoughtit；anothersaidRobinwasafool；

athirdsaidshewouldnotbelieveawordofit，andshewould

warrantthatRobinwouldtellthestoryanotherway。

Butthe

oldgentlewoman，whowasresolvedtogotothebottomofit

beforeIcouldhavetheleastopportunityofacquaintingher

sonwithwhathadpassed，resolvedtoothatshewouldtalk

withhersonimmediately，andtothatpurposesentforhim，

forhewasgonebuttoalawyer’shouseinthetown，upon

somepettybusinessofhisown，anduponhersendinghe

returnedimmediately。

Uponhiscominguptothem，fortheywereallstilltogether，

’Sitdown，Robin，’saystheoldlady，’Imusthavesometalk

withyou。’

’Withallmyheart，madam，’saysRobin，looking

verymerry。

’Ihopeitisaboutagoodwife，forIamatagreat

lossinthataffair。’

’Howcanthatbe？’sayshismother；’did

notyousayyouresolvedtohaveMrs。Betty？’

’Ay，madam，’

saysRobin，’butthereisonehasforbidthebanns。’

’Forbid，

thebanns！’sayshismother；’whocanthatbe？’

’EvenMrs。

Bettyherself，’saysRobin。

’Howso？’sayshismother。

’Have

youaskedherthequestion，then？’

’Yes，indeed，madam，’says

Robin。

’Ihaveattackedherinformfivetimessinceshewassick，

andambeatenoff；thejadeissostoutshewon’tcapitulatenor

yielduponanyterms，exceptsuchasIcannoteffectuallygrant。’

’Explainyourself，’saysthemother，’forIamsurprised；Ido

notunderstandyou。

Ihopeyouarenotinearnest。’

’Why，madam，’sayshe，’thecaseisplainenoughuponme，

itexplainsitself；shewon’thaveme，shesays；isnotthatplain

enough？

Ithink’tisplain，andprettyroughtoo。’

’Well，but，’

saysthemother，’youtalkofconditionsthatyoucannotgrant；

whatdoesshewant——asettlement？

Herjointureoughttobe

accordingtoherportion；butwhatfortunedoesshebringyou？’

’Nay，astofortune，’saysRobin，’sheisrichenough；Iam

satisfiedinthatpoint；but’tisIthatamnotabletocomeup

toherterms，andsheispositiveshewillnothavemewithout。’

Herethesistersputin。

’Madam，’saysthesecondsister，’’tis

impossibletobeseriouswithhim；hewillnevergiveadirect

answertoanything；youhadbetterlethimalone，andtalkno

moreofittohim；youknowhowtodisposeofheroutofhis

wayifyouthoughttherewasanythinginit。’

Robinwasalittle

warmedwithhissister’srudeness，buthewasevenwithher，

andyetwithgoodmannerstoo。

’Therearetwosortsofpeople，

madam，’sayshe，turningtohismother，’thatthereisno

contendingwith；thatis，awisebodyandafool；’tisalittle

hardIshouldengagewithbothofthemtogether。’

Theyoungersisterthenputin。

’Wemustbefoolsindeed，’

saysshe，’inmybrother’sopinion，thatheshouldthinkwecan

believehehasseriouslyaskedMrs。Bettytomarryhim，and

thatshehasrefusedhim。’

’Answer，andanswernot，saySolomon，’repliedherbrother。

’Whenyourbrotherhadsaidtoyourmotherthathehadasked

hernolessthanfivetimes，andthatitwasso，thatshepositively

deniedhim，methinksayoungersisterneednotquestionthe

truthofitwhenhermotherdidnot。’

’Mymother，yousee，

didnotunderstandit，’saysthesecondsister。

’There’ssome

difference，’saysRobin，’betweendesiringmetoexplainit，

andtellingmeshedidnotbelieveit。’

’Well，but，son，’saystheoldlady，’ifyouaredisposedtolet

usintothemysteryofit，whatwerethesehardconditions？’

’Yes，madam，’saysRobin，’Ihaddoneitbeforenow，ifthe

teasersherehadnotworriedmybywayofinterruption。

The

conditionsare，thatIbringmyfatherandyoutoconsenttoit，

andwithoutthatsheprotestsshewillneverseememoreupon

thathead；andtotheseconditions，asIsaid，IsupposeIshall

neverbeabletogrant。

Ihopemywarmsisterswillbe

answerednow，andblushalittle；ifnot，Ihavenomoretosay

tillIhearfurther。’

Thisanswerwassurprisingtothemall，thoughlesstothe

mother，becauseofwhatIhadsaidtoher。

Astothedaughters，

theystoodmuteagreatwhile；butthemothersaidwithsome

passion，’Well，Ihadheardthisbefore，butIcouldnotbelieve

it；butifitisso，theywehavealldoneBettywrong，andshe

hasbehavedbetterthanIeverexpected。’

’Nay，’saystheeldest

sister，’ifitbeso，shehasactedhandsomelyindeed。’

’Iconfess，’

saysthemother，’itwasnoneofherfault，ifhewasfoolenough

totakeafancytoher；buttogivesuchananswertohim，shows

morerespecttoyourfatherandmethanIcantellhowto

express；IshallvaluethegirlthebetterforitaslongasIknow

her。’

’ButIshallnot，’saysRobin，’unlessyouwillgiveyour

consent。’’I’llconsiderofthatawhile，’saysthemother；’I

assureyou，iftherewerenotsomeotherobjectionsintheway，

thisconductofherswouldgoagreatwaytobringmeto

consent。’

’Iwishitwouldgoquitethroughit，’saysRobin；

’ifyouhadamuchthoughtaboutmakingmeeasyasyouhave

aboutmakingmerich，youwouldsoonconsenttoit。’

’Why，Robin，’saysthemotheragain，’areyoureallyinearnest？

Wouldyousofainhaveherasyoupretend？’

“Really，madam，’

saysRobin，’Ithink’tishardyoushouldquestionmeupon

thatheadafterallIhavesaid。

Iwon’tsaythatIwillhaveher；

howcanIresolvethatpoint，whenyouseeIcannothaveher

withoutyourconsent？

Besides，Iamnotboundtomarryat

all。

ButthisIwillsay，Iaminearnestin，thatIwillneverhave

anybodyelseifIcanhelpit；soyoumaydetermineforme。

Bettyornobodyistheword，andthequestionwhichofthe

twoshallbeinyourbreasttodecide，madam，providedonly，

thatmygood-humouredsistersheremayhavenovoteinit。’

Allthiswasdreadfultome，forthemotherbegantoyield，

andRobinpressedherhomeonit。

Ontheotherhand，she

advisedwiththeeldestson，andheusedalltheargumentsin

theworldtopersuadehertoconsent；alleginghisbrother’s

passionateloveforme，andmygenerousregardtothefamily，

inrefusingmyownadvantagesuponsuchanicepointof

honour，andathousandsuchthings。

Andastothefather，he