e very serious; very
ill-adapted for jesting. I look upon such a marriage as absolutely
impossible."

"I do not know what you mean by impossible, Lady Arabella."

"I mean, in the first place, that you two could not get yourselves
married."

"Oh, yes; Mr Oriel would manage that for us. We are his parishioners,
and he would be bound to do it."

"I beg your pardon; I believe that under all the circumstances it
would be illegal."

Mary smiled; but she said nothing. "You may laugh, Miss Thorne, but I
think you will find that I am right. There are still laws to prevent
such fearful distress as would be brought about by such a marriage."

"I hope that nothing I shall do will bring distress on the family."

"Ah, but it would; don't you know that it would? Think of it, Miss
Thorne. Think of Frank's state, and of his father's state. You know
enough of that, I am sure, to be well aware that Frank is not in a
condition to marry without money. Think of the position which Mr
Gresham's only son should hold in the county; think of the old name,
and the pride we have in it; you have lived among us enough to
understand all this; think of these things, and then say whether it
is possible such a marriage should take place without family distress
of the deepest kind. Think of Mr Gresham; if you truly love my son,
you could not wish to bring on him all this misery and ruin."

Mary now was touched, for there was truth in what Lady Arabella said.
But she had no power of going back; her troth was plighted, and
nothing that any human being could say should shake her from it. If
he, indeed, chose to repent, that would be another thing.

"Lady Arabella," she said, "I have nothing to say in favour of this
engagement, except that he wishes it."

"And is that a reason, Mary?"

"To me it is; not only a reason, but a law. I have given him my
promise."

"And you will keep your promise even to his own ruin?"

"I hope not. Our engagement, unless he shall choose to break it off,
must necessarily be a long one; but the time will come--"

"What! when Mr Gresham is dead?"

"Before that, I hope."

"There is no probability of it. And because he is headstrong, you,
who have always had credit for so much sense, will hold him to this
mad engagement?"

"No, Lady Arabella; I will not hold him to anything to which he does
not wish to be held. Nothing that you can say shall move me: nothing
that anybody can say shall induce me to break my promis