LITMIR.BIZ

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this thing in all its bearings before you answer me. I am so anxious that you should think of it that I will not expect your reply till this day week. It can hardly be your desire to go through life unmarried. I should say that it must be essential to your ambition that you should join your lot to that of some man the nature of whose aspirations would be like to your own. It is because this was not so as regarded him whose suit you had accepted, that you found yourself at last obliged to part from him. May I not say that with us there would be no such difference? It is because I believe that in this respect we are fitted for each other, as man and woman seldom are fitted, that I once again ask you to be my wife.

      This will reach you at Vavasor, where you will now be with the old squire and Kate. I have told her nothing of my purpose in writing this letter. If it should be that your answer is such as I desire, I should use the opportunity of our reengagement to endeavour to be reconciled to my grandfather. He has misunderstood me and has illused me. But I am ready to forgive that, if he will allow me to do so. In such case you and Kate would arrange that, and I would, if possible, go down to Vavasor while you are there. But I am galloping on a-head foolishly in thinking of this, and am counting up my wealth while the crockery in my basket is so very fragile. One word from you will decide whether or no I shall ever bring it into market.

      If that word is to be adverse do not say anything of a meeting between me and the Squire. Under such circumstances it would be impossible. But, oh, Alice! do not let it be adverse. I think you love me. Your woman’s pride towards me has been great and good and womanly; but it has had its way; and, if you love me, might now be taught to succumb.

      Dear Alice, will you be my wife?

      Yours, in any event, most affectionately,

       George Vavasor.

      Vavasor, when he had finished his letter, went back to his seat over the fire, and there he sat with it close at his hand for nearly an hour. Once or twice he took it up with fingers almost itching to throw it into the fire. He took it up and held the corners between his forefinger and thumb, throwing forward his hand towards the flame, as though willing that the letter should escape from him and perish if chance should so decide. But chance did not so decide, and the letter was put back upon the table at his elbow. Then when the hour was nearly over he read it again. “I’ll bet two to one that she gives way,” he said to himself, as he put the sheet of paper back into the envelope. “Women are such out-and-out fools.” Then he took his candle, and carrying his letter with him, went into his bedroom.

      The next morning was the morning of Christmas Eve. At about nine o’clock a boy came into his room who was accustomed to call for orders for the day. “Jem,” he said to the boy, “there’s half a crown lying there on the looking-glass.” Jem looked and acknowledged the presence of the halfcrown. “Is it a head or a tail, Jem?” asked the boy’s master. Jem scrutinized the coin, and declared that the uppermost surface showed a tail. “Then take that letter and post it,” said George Vavasor. Whereupon Jem, asking no question and thinking but little of the circumstances under which the command was given, did take the letter and did post it. In due accordance with postal regulations it reached Vavasor Hall and was delivered to Alice on the Christmas morning.

      A merry Christmas did not fall to the lot of George Vavasor on the present occasion. An early Christmas-box he did receive in the shape of a very hurried note from his friend Burgo. “This will be brought to you by Stickling,” the note said; but who Stickling was Vavasor did not know. “I send the bill. Couldn’t you get the money and send it me, as I don’t want to go up to town again before the thing comes off? You’re a trump; and will do the best you can. Don’t let that rogue off for less than a hundred and twenty.—Yours, B. F.” Vavasor, therefore, having nothing better to do, spent his Christmas morning in calling on Mr Magruin.

      “Oh, Mr Vavasor,” said Magruin; “really this is no morning for business!”

      “Time and tide wait for no man, Mr Magruin, and my friend wants his money tomorrow.”

      “Oh, Mr Vavasor,—tomorrow!”

      “Yes, tomorrow. If time and tide won’t wait, neither will love. Come, Mr Magruin, out with your cheque-book, and don’t let’s have any nonsense.”

      “But is the lady sure, Mr Vavasor?” asked Mr Magruin, anxiously.

      “Ladies never are sure,” said Vavasor; “hardly more sure than bills made over to moneylenders. I’m not going to wait here all day. Are you going to give him the money?”

      “Christmas-day, Mr Vavasor! There’s no getting money in the city to-day.”

      But Vavasor before he left did get the money from Mr Magruin,—£122 10s.—for which an acceptance at two months for £500 was given in exchange,—and carried it off in triumph. “Do tell him to be punctual,” said Mr Magruin, when Vavasor took his leave. “I do so like young men to be punctual. But I really think Mr Fitzgerald is the most unpunctual young man I ever did know yet.”

      “I think he is,” said George Vavasor, as he went away.

      He ate his Christmas dinner in absolute solitude at an eating-house near his lodgings. It may be supposed that no man dares to dine at his club on a Christmas Day. He at any rate did not so dare;—and after dinner he wandered about through the streets, wondering within his mind how he would endure the restraints of married life. And the same dull monotony of his days was continued for a week, during which he waited, not impatiently, for an answer to his letter. And before the end of the week the answer came.

Chapter XXXI.

       Among the Fells

       Table of Contents

      Alice came down to breakfast on that Christmas morning at Vavasor Hall without making any sign as to the letter she had received. The party there consisted of her grandfather, her father, her cousin Kate, and herself. They all made their Christmas salutations as is usual, and Alice received and made hers as did the others, without showing that anything had occurred to disturb her tranquillity. Kate remarked that she had heard that morning from Aunt Greenow, and promised to show Alice the letter after breakfast. But Alice said no word of her own letter.

      “Why didn’t your aunt come here to eat her Christmas dinner?” said the Squire.

      “Perhaps, sir, because you didn’t ask her,” said Kate, standing close to her grandfather,—for the old man was somewhat deaf.

      “And why didn’t you ask her;—that is, if she stands upon asking to come to her old home?”

      “Nay, sir, but I couldn’t do that without your bidding. We Vavasors are not always fond of meeting each other.”

      “Hold your tongue, Kate. I know what you mean, and you should be the last to speak of it. Alice, my dear, come and sit next to me. I am much obliged to you for coming down all this way to see your old grandfather at Christmas. I am indeed. I only wish you had brought better news about your sweetheart.”

      “She’ll think better of it before long, sir,” said her father.

      “Papa, you shouldn’t say that. You would not wish me to marry against my own judgement.”

      “I don’t know much about ladies’ judgements,” said the old man. “It does seem to me that when a lady makes a promise she ought to keep it.”

      “According to that,” said Kate, “if I were engaged to a man, and found that he was a murderer, I still ought to marry him.”

      “But Mr Grey is not a murderer,” said the Squire.

      “Pray,—pray, don’t talk about it,” said Alice. “If you do I really cannot sit and hear it.”

      “I have given over saying anything on the subject,” said John Vavasor, speaking as though he had already expended upon it a vast amount of paternal eloquence. He had, however, never said more than has been recorded

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