the French family for the intervening months shall be told
in this chapter, in order that it may be understood how matters were
with them when the tidings of Miss Stanbury's severe illness first
reached their house at Heavitree.

After that terrible scene in which Miss Stanbury had so dreadfully
confounded Mr. Gibson by declaring the manner in which he had been
rebuffed by Dorothy, the unfortunate clergyman had endeavoured to
make his peace with the French family by assuring the mother that in
very truth it was the dearest wish of his heart to make her daughter
Camilla his wife. Mrs. French, who had ever been disposed to favour
Arabella's ambition, well knowing its priority and ancient right,
and who of late had been taught to consider that even Camilla had
consented to waive any claim that she might have once possessed,
could not refrain from the expression of some surprise. That he
should be recovered at all out of the Stanbury clutches was very
much to Mrs. French,--was so much that, had time been given her for
consideration, she would have acknowledged to herself readily that
the property had best be secured at once to the family, without
incurring that amount of risk which must unquestionably attend any
attempt on her part to direct Mr. Gibson's purpose hither or thither.
But the proposition came so suddenly that time was not allowed to her
to be altogether wise. "I thought it was poor Bella," she said, with
something of a piteous whine in her voice. At the moment Mr. Gibson
was so humble, that he was half inclined to give way even on that
head. He felt himself to have been brought so low in the market by
that terrible story of Miss Stanbury's,--which he had been unable
either to contradict or to explain,--that there was but little power
of fighting left in him. He was, however, just able to speak a word
for himself, and that sufficed. "I hope there has been no mistake,"
he said; "but really it is Camilla that has my heart." Mrs. French
made no rejoinder to this. It was so much to her to know that Mr.
Gibson's heart was among them at all after what had occurred in
the Close, that she acknowledged to herself after that moment of
reflection that Arabella must be sacrificed for the good of the
family interests. Poor, dear, loving, misguided, and spiritless
mother! She would have given the blood out of her bosom to get
husbands for her daughters, though it was not of her own experience
that she had learned that of al