CHAPTER II

isfortune,boughthishouse,andobtainedhiswifeandwasbeginninganewperiodofexistence,witheveryprobabilityofgreaterhappinessthaninanyyetpassedthrough.Hehadneverbeenanunhappymanhisowntemperhadsecuredhimfromthat,eveninhisfirstmarriagebuthissecondmustshewhimhowdelightfulawell-judgingandtrulyamiablewomancouldbe,andmustgivehimthepleasantestproofofitsbeingagreatdealbettertochoosethantobechosen,toexcitegratitudethantofeelit. Hehadonlyhimselftopleaseinhischoice:hisfortunewashisownforastoFrank,itwasmorethanbeingtacitlybroughtupashisuncle’sheir,ithadbecomesoavowedanadoptionastohavehimassumethenameofChurchilloncomingofage.Itwasmostunlikely,therefore,thatheshouldeverwanthisfather’sassistance.Hisfatherhadnoapprehensionofit.Theauntwasacapriciouswoman,andgovernedherhusbandentirelybutitwasnotinMr.Weston’snaturetoimaginethatanycapricecouldbestrongenoughtoaffectonesodear,and,ashebelieved,sodeservedlydear.HesawhissoneveryyearinLondon,andwasproudofhimandhisfondreportofhimasaveryfineyoungmanhadmadeHighburyfeelasortofprideinhimtoo.Hewaslookedonassufficientlybelongingtotheplacetomakehismeritsandprospectsakindofcommonconcern. Mr.FrankChurchillwasoneoftheboastsofHighbury,andalivelycuriositytoseehimprevailed,thoughthecomplimentwassolittlereturnedthathehadneverbeenthereinhislife.Hiscomingtovisithisfatherhadbeenoftentalkedofbutneverachieved. Now,uponhisfather’smarriage,itwasverygenerallyproposed,asamostproperattention,thatthevisitshouldtakeplace.Therewasnotadissentientvoiceonthesubject,eitherwhenMrs.PerrydrankteawithMrs.andMissBates,orwhenMrs.andMissBatesreturnedthevisit.NowwasthetimeforMr.FrankChurchilltocomeamongthemandthehope