b Worse would have found some way out in
such a case, I am sure."

This was to attack him on his weakest side. That any one should
consider him too old, touched him to the quick; and he proceeded to
give Madame Torvestad so warm a description of his feelings, that she
was constrained to stop him in all haste.

"Good, good, Captain Worse! Yes, yes; I don't doubt it!" she kept on
exclaiming. "But more than earthly love is necessary, however real it
may be. The man to whom I could with confidence entrust my child, my
Sarah, must also be joined to her in the love of God; and, you know,
I have often told you that your life as a seaman is full of
temptations, and little likely to bring forth good fruits."

"Ah, yes, madame, the flesh is weak in many respects," answered
Captain Worse, who fancied he was quoting Scripture.

"Yes, that it is, Captain Worse--some of us more, some less; but just
for that reason we should avoid a life which especially leads us to
temptation. Fancy, if I had given you my daughter, and you had
suddenly left her like this soon after the marriage!"

"No, madame; there would have been nothing of the sort, you may take
your oath of that."

"If I were now--I merely put the case before you--if I were now to
give my consent, do you believe that the Consul--that your partner
would permit you to put off the voyage?"

"Of course, of course; that is understood." He was becoming excited
at the prospect before him.

"Could I depend upon you?"

"Yes, by--"

"Stop; don't swear! I can believe you better without it. Sit down
again, and listen to what I have to say."

"I have thought much of all this of late; a voice within me seems to
say that an alliance with my daughter would be for the good of your
soul. Yes, after much anxiety and deliberation, I had thought of
fixing the wedding for next Sunday--"

"I beg your par-- What do you say?" cried Worse, jumping up from his
chair. "Ah, madame, you are a devil of a woman!"

"But now, when I find that a sudden order to go to sea can tear you
away from your family, and expose you to danger and to temptations,
which can easily--we know how easily--choke the good seed, I cannot
think of entrusting my child, my beloved Sarah, to you."

"But, Madame Torvestad, I won't go! I will tell the Consul that he
must get some other person. I swear to you I won't go!"

"Not this time, perhaps; but the next time that your partner wants--"

"Never! If I get Sarah, I pr