came again. She amused
herself with thinking how she would find a little house--quite a small
house, as there are so many--in a good situation, where even the most
fashionable need not be ashamed to come, and where there would be room
enough for Elinor and her husband if they chose to establish themselves
there. Mrs. Dennistoun was of opinion, already expressed, that if
mothers-in-law are obnoxious to men, sons-in-law are very frequently so
to women, which is a point of view not popularly perceived. And Philip
Compton was not sympathetic to her in any point of view. But still she
made up her mind to endure him, and even his family, for the sake of
Elinor. She planned it all out--it gave a little occupation to the
vacant time--how they should have their separate rooms and even meals if
that turned out most convenient; how she would interfere with none of
their ways: only to have her Elinor under her roof, to have her when the
husband was occupied--in the evenings, if there were any evenings that
she spent alone; in the mornings, when perhaps Phil got up late, or had
engagements of his own; for the moment's freedom when her child should
be free. She made up her mind that she would ask no questions, would
never interfere with any of their habits, or oppose or put herself
between them--only just to have a little of Elinor every day.

"For it will not be the same thing this year," she said to John,
apologetically. "They have quite settled down into each other's ways.
Philip must see I have no intention of interfering. For the most
obdurate opponent of mothers-in-law could not think--could he,
John?--that I had any desire to put myself between them, or make myself
troublesome now."

"There is no telling," said John, "what such asses might think."

"But Philip is not an ass; and don't you think I have behaved very well,
and may give myself this indulgence the second year?"

"I certainly think you will be quite right to come to town: but I should
not have them to live with you, if I were you."

"Shouldn't you? It might be a risk: but then I shouldn't do it unless
there was room enough to leave them quite free. The thing I am afraid of
is that they wouldn't accept."

"Oh, Phil Compton will accept," said John, hurriedly.

"Why are you so sure? I think often you know more about him than you
ever say."

"I don't know much about him, but I know that a man of uncertain income
and not very delicate feelings is generally glad