davidchen1's blog

I fear you are not well

FATHER BENWELL rose, and welcomed the visitor with his paternal smile. “I am heartily glad to see you,” he said — and held out his hand with a becoming mixture of dignity and cordiality. Penrose lifted the offered hand respectfully to his lips. As one of the “Provincials” of the Order, Father Benwell occupied a high place among the English Jesuits. He was accustomed to acts of homage offered by his younger brethren to their spiritual chief. “I fear you are not well,” he proceeded gently. “Your hand is feverish, Arthur.” “Thank you, Father — I am as well as usual.” “Depression of spirits, perhaps?” Father Benwell persisted. Penrose admitted it with a passing smile.

My aunt used to speak to me about it

‘Yes. Fred; that was It. And how could I, under such circumstances, trust myself to be gentle with you, or to look to you for assistance? How could I guess then all that I know now?’ ‘Of course you couldn’t.’ ‘And therefore I was driven to be harsh. My aunt used to speak to me about it.’ ‘I don’t wonder at that, for she was very anxious that we should be married.’ Clara for a moment felt herself to be uncomfortable as she heard these words, half perceiving that they implied some instigation on the part of Mrs Winterfield. Could it be that Captain Aylmer’s offer had been made in obedience to a promise? ‘Did you know of her anxiety?’ she asked. ‘Well yes; that is to say, I guessed it. It was natural enough that the same idea should come to her and to me too.

I suppose I may stay with you

‘I don’t know that there is much difference; but, however ‘ Then they were in the dining-room, and as the servant remained there during dinner, there was nothing in their conversation worth repeating. After dinner they still remained down-stairs, seating themselves on the two sides of the fire, Clara having fully resolved that she would not on such an evening as this leave Captain Aylmer to drink his glass of port wine by himself. ‘I suppose I may stay with you, mayn’t I?’ she said. ‘Oh, dear, yes; I’m sure I’m very much obliged.

in regard both to wealth and rank

In respect of this matter he was probably thinking of lodgings for himself in London during the parliamentary session, while she remained alone in the big red house upon which his eyes were fixed at the time. There was much of convenience in all this, which might perhaps atone to him for the sacrifice which he was undoubtedly making of himself. Had marriage simply been of itself a thing desirable, he could doubtless have disposed of himself to better advantage. His prospects, present fortune, and general position were so favourable, that he might have dared to lift his expectations, in regard both to wealth and rank, very high. The Aylmers were a considerable people, and he, though a younger brother, bad much more than a younger brother’s portion.

had also something to think about

Such were the resolutions which Clara made in the first hour of solitude which came to her after her engagement; and they would have been wise resolutions but for this flaw that the stronger was submitting itself to the weaker, the greater to the less, the more honest to the less honest, that which was nearly true to that which was in great part false. The theory of man and wife that special theory in accordance with which the wife is to bend herself in loving submission before her husband is very beautiful; and would be good altogether if it could only be arranged that the husband should be the stronger and the greater of the two. The theory is based upon that hypothesis and the hypothesis sometimes fails of confirmation.
Syndicate content