ffected,--human, whereas it had hitherto been Roman. "Major
Grantly," he said, "I am sore beset; but what can I say to you? My
darling is as pure as the light of day,--only that she is soiled with
my impurity. She is fit to grace the house of the best gentleman in
England, had I not made her unfit."

"She shall grace mine," said the major. "By God she
shall!--to-morrow, if she'll have me." Mrs. Crawley, who was standing
beside him, again raised his hand and kissed it.

"It may not be so. As I began by saying,--or rather strove to say,
for I have been overtaken by weakness, and cannot speak my mind,--I
cannot claim authority over my child as would another man. How can I
exercise authority from between a prison's bars?"

"She would obey your slightest wish," said Mrs. Crawley.

"I could express no wish," said he. "But I know my girl, and I am
sure that she will not consent to take infamy with her into the house
of the man who loves her."

"There will be no infamy," said the major. "Infamy! I tell you that I
shall be proud of the connexion."

"You, sir, are generous in your prosperity. We will strive to be
at least just in our adversity. My wife and children are to be
pitied,--because of the husband and the father."

"No!" said Mrs. Crawley. "I will not hear that said without denying
it."

"But they must take their lot as it has been given to them,"
continued he. "Such a position in life as that which you have
proposed to bestow upon my child would be to her, as regards
human affairs, great elevation. And from what I have heard,--I
may be permitted to add also from what I now learn by personal
experience,--such a marriage would be laden with fair promise of
future happiness. But if you ask my mind, I think that my child is
not free to make it. You, sir, have many relatives, who are not in
love, as you are, all of whom would be affected by the stain of my
disgrace. You have a daughter, to whom all your solicitude is due.
No one should go to your house as your second wife who cannot feel
that she will serve your child. My daughter would feel that she was
bringing injury upon the babe. I cannot bid her do this,--and I will
not. Nor do I believe that she would do so if I bade her." Then he
turned his chair round, and sat with his face to the wall, wiping
away the tears with a tattered handkerchief.

Mrs. Crawley led the major away to the further window, and there stood
looking up into his face. It need hardly be sa