surdest ideas--you
tell me to repeat his words--of any girls that ever existed; and then he
put a question: listen: I give it without comment: 'I dare say, you all
object to widows marrying again.' I kept myself quiet. 'Marrying again,
papa! If they marry once they might as well marry a dozen times.' It
was the best way to irritate him. I did not intend it; that is all I can
say. He jumped from his chair, rubbed his hair, and almost ran up and
down the library floor, telling me that I prevaricated. 'You object to a
widow marrying at all--that's my question!' he cried out loud. Of
course I contained my voice all the more. 'Distinctly, papa.' When I
had spoken, I could scarcely help laughing. He went like a pony that is
being broken in, crying, I don't know how many times, 'Why? What's
your reason?' You may suppose, darlings, that I decline to enter upon
explanation. If a person is dense upon a matter of pure sentiment, there
is no ground between us: he has simply a sense wanting. 'What has all
this to do with Besworth?' I asked. 'A great deal more than you fancy,'
was his answer. He seemed to speak every word at me in capital letters.
Then, as if a little ashamed, he sat down, and reached out his hand to
mine, and I saw his eyes were moist. I drew my chair nearer to him. Now,
whether I did right or wrong in this, I do not know I leave it entirely
to your judgement. If you consider how I was placed, you will at all
events excuse me. What I did was--you know, the very farthest suspicion
one has of an extreme possibility one does not mind mentioning: I said
'Papa, if it should so happen that money is the objection to Besworth,
we will not trouble you.' At this, I can only say that he behaved like
an insane person. He denounced me as wilfully insulting him that I might
avoid one subject."

"And what on earth can that be?" interposed Arabella.

"You may well ask. Could a genie have guessed that Mrs. Chump was at
the bottom of it all? The conclusion of the dreadful discussion is
this, that papa offers to take the purchase of Besworth into his
consideration, if we, as I said before, will receive Mrs. Chump as our
honoured guest. I am bound to say, poor dear old man, he spoke kindly,
as he always does, and kissed me, and offered to give me anything I
might want. I came from him stupefied. I have hardly got my senses about
me yet."

The ladies caressed her, with grave looks; but neither of them showed a
perturbation of spirit