py without him, talking about him, as she
would have been in his presence, listening to him.

CHAPTER XV.

MATERNAL ELOQUENCE.

On the Friday morning there was a solemn conference at the brewery
between Mrs. Tappitt and Mrs. Rowan. Mrs. Rowan found herself to be
in some difficulty as to the line of action which she ought to take,
and the alliances which she ought to form. She was passionately
attached to her son, and for Mrs. Tappitt she had no strong liking.
But then she was very averse to this proposed marriage with Rachel
Ray, and was willing for a while to make a treaty with Mrs. Tappitt,
offensive and defensive, as against her own son, if by doing so she
could put a stop to so outrageous a proceeding on his part. He had
seen her before he started for London, and had told her both the
occurrences of the day. He had described to her how Tappitt had
turned him out of the brewery, poker in hand, and how, in consequence
of Tappitt's "pig-headed obstinacy," it was now necessary that their
joint affairs should be set right by the hand of the law. He had then
told her also that there was no longer any room for doubt or argument
between them as regarding Rachel. He had gone out to Bragg's End
that morning, had made his offer, and had been accepted. His mother
therefore would see,--so he surmised,--that, as any opposition on her
part must now be futile, she might as well take Rachel to her heart
at once. He went so far as to propose to her that she should go over
to Rachel in his absence,--"it would be very gracious if you could do
it to-morrow, mother," he said,--and go through that little process
of taking her future daughter-in-law to her heart. But in answer
to this Mrs. Rowan said very little. She said very little, but she
looked much. "My dear, I cannot move so quick as you do; I am older.
I am afraid, however, that you have been rash." He said something,
as on such occasions young men do, as to his privilege of choosing
for himself, as to his knowing what wife would suit him, as to
his contempt for money, and as to the fact,--"the undoubted fact,"
as he declared it,--and in that declaration I am prepared to go
hand-in-hand with him,--that Rachel Ray was a lady. But he was
clear-headed enough to perceive that his mother did not intend to
agree with him. "When we are married she will come round," he said
to himself, and then he took himself off by the night mail train to
London.

Under these circumstances