CHAPTER XXXVII. THE WINDING-UP.

trulycallmine—andnow——" Hepaused,forhisdeepvoicewaschecked. "Andnow,"heresumed—"nowIcanthinkofmarriage,nowIcanseekawife." Thiswasnomomentforhertospeak.Shedidnotspeak. "WillCaroline,whomeeklyhopestobeforgivenassheforgives—willshepardonallIhavemadehersuffer,allthatlongpainIhavewickedlycausedher,allthatsicknessofbodyandmindsheowedtome?Willsheforgetwhatsheknowsofmypoorambition,mysordidschemes?Willsheletmeexpiatethesethings?Willshesuffermetoprovethat,asIoncedesertedcruelly,trifledwantonly,injuredbasely,Icannowlovefaithfully,cherishfondly,treasuretenderly?" HishandwasinCaroline'sstillagentlepressureansweredhim. "IsCarolinemine?" "Carolineisyours." "Iwillprizeher.Thesenseofhervalueishere,inmyheartthenecessityforhersocietyisblendedwithmylife.NotmorejealousshallIbeofthebloodwhoseflowmovesmypulsesthanofherhappinessandwell-being." "Iloveyou,too,Robert,andwilltakefaithfulcareofyou." "Willyoutakefaithfulcareofme?Faithfulcare!Asifthatroseshouldpromisetoshelterfromtempestthishardgraystone!Butshewillcareforme,inherway.ThesehandswillbethegentleministrantsofeverycomfortIcantaste.IknowthebeingIseektoentwinewithmyownwillbringmeasolace,acharity,apurity,towhich,ofmyself,Iamastranger." SuddenlyCarolinewastroubledherlipquivered. "Whatfluttersmydove?"askedMoore,asshenestledtoandthenuneasilyshrankfromhim. "Poormamma!Iamallmammahas.MustIleaveher?" "Doyouknow,Ithoughtofthatdifficulty.Iand'mamma'havediscussedit." "Tellmewhatyouwish,whatyouwouldlike,andIwillconsiderifitispossibletoconsent.ButIcannotdeserther,evenforyou.Icannotbreakherheart,evenforyoursake." "ShewasfaithfulwhenIwasfalse—wasshenot?Inevercamenearyoursick-bed,andshewatcheditceaselessly." "WhatmustIdo?Anythingbutleaveher." "Atmywishyounevershallleaveher." "Shemayliveverynearus?" "Withus—onlyshewillhaveherownroomsandservant.Forthisshestipulatesherself." "Youknowshehasanincome,that,withherhabits,makesherquiteindependent?" "Shetoldmethat,withagentlepridethatremindedmeofsomebodyelse." "Sheisnotatallinterfering,andincapableofgossip." "Iknowher,Cary.Butif,insteadofbeingthepersonificationofreserveanddiscretion,sheweresomethingquiteopposite,Ishouldnotfearher." "Yetshewillbeyourmother-in-law?"Thespeakergaveanarchlittlenod.Mooresmiled. "LouisandIarenotoftheorderofmenwhofeartheirmothers-in-law,Cary.Ourfoesneverhavebeen,norwillbe,thoseofourownhousehold.Idoubtnotmymother-in-lawwillmakemuchofme." "Thatshewill—inherquietway,youknow.Sheisnotdemonstrativeandwhenyouseehersilent,orevencool,youmustnotfancyherdispleaseditisonlyamannershehas.Besuretoletmeinterpretforherwhenevershepuzzlesyoualwaysbelievemyaccountofthematter,Robert." "Oh,implicitly!Jestingapart,IfeelthatsheandIwillsuit—onnepeutmieux.Hortense,youknow,isexquisitelysusceptible—inourFrenchsenseoftheword—andnot,perhaps,alwaysreasonableinherrequirementsyet,dear,honestgirl,Ineverpainfullywoundedherfeelingsorhadaseriousquarrelwithherinmylife." "Noyouaremostgenerouslyconsiderate,indeed,mosttenderlyindulgenttoherandyouwillbeconsideratewithmamma.Youareagentlemanallthrough,Robert,tothebone,andnowheresoperfectagentlemanasatyourownfireside." "AeulogiumIlikeitisverysweet.IamwellpleasedmyCarolineshouldviewmeinthislight." "MammajustthinksofyouasIdo." "Notquite,Ihope?" "Shedoesnotwanttomarryyou—don'tbevainbutshesaidtometheotherday,'Mydear,Mr.MoorehaspleasingmannersheisoneofthefewgentlemenIhaveseenwhocombinepolitenesswithanairofsincerity.'" "'Mamma'isratheramisanthropist,isshenot?Notthebestopinionofthesternersex?" "Sheforbearstojudgethemasawhole,butshehasherexceptionswhomsheadmires—LouisandMr.Hall,and,oflate,yourself.ShedidnotlikeyouonceIknewthat,becauseshewouldneverspeakofyou.But,Robert——" "Well,whatnow?Whatisthenewthought?" "Youhavenotseenmyuncleyet?" "Ihave.'Mamma'calledhimintotheroom.Heconsentsconditionally.IfIprovethatIcankeepawife,ImayhaveherandIcankeepherbetterthanhethinks—betterthanIchoosetoboast." "Ifyougetrichyouwilldogoodwithyourmoney,Robert?" "Iwilldogoodyoushalltellmehow.Indeed,Ihavesomeschemesofmyown,whichyouandIwilltalkaboutonourownhearthoneday.IhaveseenthenecessityofdoinggoodIhavelearnedthedownrightfollyofbeingselfish.Caroline,IforeseewhatIwillnowforetell.Thiswarmusterelongdrawtoaclose.Tradeislikelytoprosperforsomeyearstocome.TheremaybeabriefmisunderstandingbetweenEnglandandAmerica,butthatwillnotlast.Whatwouldyouthinkif,oneday—perhapsereanothertenyearselapse—LouisandIdivideBriarfieldparishbetwixtus?Louis,atanyrate,iscertainofpowerandproperty.Hewillnotburyhistalents.Heisabenevolentfellow,andhas,besides,anintellectofhisownofnotriflingcalibre.Hismindisslowbutstrong.Itmustwork.Itmayworkdeliberately,butitwillworkwell.Hewillbemademagistrateofthedistrict—Shirleysaysheshall.Shewouldproceedimpetuouslyandprematurelytoobtainforhimthisdignity,ifhewouldlether,buthewillnot.Asusual,hewillbeinnohaste.Ereheh