t essential to her happiness by the want of a sum of money which
she could very well spare; adding that the treatment she had received
from her cousins she attributed to childishness and folly and should be
far worse than they were if she could remember it with resentment.

Mrs Alworth was greatly touched with this instance of Harriot's
generosity, and finding that nothing but the exertion of her authority,
which her grand-daughter acknowledged absolute and always obeyed
implicitly, could prevent her from performing her purpose, she
determined to take the most effectual means of hindering it by advancing
the money herself, and invited Miss Denham and her lover to her house;
where the marriage was performed, and they departed.

Mrs Alworth began to feel the infirmities of age, and now that she and
Harriot were left to continual tete-a-tete, absolute quiet might have
degenerated into something like dullness; but the disturbance they found
not at home reached them from abroad. Mr Parnel was wearied with his
wife's fondness, who not considering that he had married her more out of
gratitude than affection, had disgusted him with the continual
professions of a love to which his heart would not make an equal return.
This fondness teased a temper naturally good into peevishness and was
near converting indifference into dislike. Mrs Parnel, distressed beyond
measure at an effect so contrary to what she intended, reproached him
with ingratitude and tormented him with tears and complaints.

Harriot, who considered this match as in a great measure her own work,
was particularly desirous of redressing these grievances and took great
pains to persuade Mrs Parnel to restrain her fondness, and suppress her
complaints, while she endeavoured to make her husband sensible that he
ought, in consideration for the cause, to pardon the troublesome effects
and not to suffer himself to be disgusted by that affection in his wife
which to most husbands would appear a merit. Mrs Alworth joined to
Harriot's persuasion the influence her age and respectable character
gave her, and though not without great difficulty, they at last saw Mr
and Mrs Parnel live in peace and amity, without any of the pleasures
arising from strong and delicate affections or the sufferings occasioned
by ill humour and hatred; and whatever void they might find in their
hearts, they were so happy as to have well filled by two very fine
children which Mrs Parnel brought her hus