lf away, should
pitch upon the South Seas for the place of her retirement, was a piece
of the same mysterious fatuity which marked the whole proceeding. Why
she could think of no pleasanter wedding journey than a voyage of
twelve thousand miles in search of a husband, was but another
incomprehensible point. Mrs. Powle had a curiosity to know what Eleanor
expected to live upon out there, where she presumed the natives
practised no agriculture and wheaten flour was a luxury unknown? And
what she expected to _do?_ However, having thus given her opinion, Mrs.
Powle went on to say, that she must quite decline to give it. She
regarded Eleanor as entirely the child of her aunt Caxton, as she
understood was also Mrs. Caxton's own view; most justly, in Mrs.
Powle's opinion, since conversion and adoption to Mrs. Caxton's own
family and mind must be amply sufficient to supersede the accident of
birth. At any rate, Mrs. Powle claimed no jurisdiction in the matter;
did not choose to exercise any. She felt herself incompetent. One
daughter she had still remaining, whom she hoped to keep her own,
guarding her against the influences which had made so wide a separation
between her eldest and the family and sphere to which she belonged.
Julia, she hoped, would one day do her honour. As for the islands of
the South Seas, or the peculiar views and habits of life entertained by
those white people who chose them for their residence, Mrs. Powle
declared she was incapable from very ignorance of understanding or
giving judgment about them. She made the whole question, together with
her daughter, over to her sister Mrs. Caxton, who she did not doubt
would do wisely according to her notions. But as they were not the
notions of the world generally, they were quite incomprehensible to the
writer, and in a sphere entirely beyond and without her cognizance. She
hoped Eleanor would be happy--if it were not absurd to hope an
impossibility.

But on one point the letter was clear, if on no other. Eleanor should
not come home. She had ruined her own prospects; Mrs. Powle could not
help that; she should not ruin Julia's. Whether she stayed in England
or whether she went on her fool's voyage, _this_ was a certain thing.
She should not see Julia, to infect her. Mrs. Powle desired to be
informed of Eleanor's movements; that if she went she herself might
meet her in London before she sailed. But she would not let her see
Julia either then or at any time.

T