ten to me for a moment it will be better. No anger
between you and me, let it arise as it might, should be allowed to
interfere with the happiness of her whom I suppose we both love better
than all the rest of the world put together.'

'I do,' said Paul.

'And so do I;--and so I always shall. But she is to be your wife. She
shall be my daughter. She shall have my property,--or her child shall
be my heir. My house shall be her house,--if you and she will consent
to make it so. You will not be afraid of me. You know me, I think, too
well for that. You may now count on any assistance you could have from
me were I a father giving you a daughter in marriage. I do this
because I will make the happiness of her life the chief object of
mine. Now good night. Don't say anything about it at present.
By-and-by we shall be able to talk about these things with more
equable temper.' Having so spoken he hurried out of the room, leaving
Paul Montague bewildered by the tidings which had been announced to
him.

CHAPTER XCIV - JOHN CRUMB'S VICTORY

In the meantime great preparations were going on down in Suffolk for
the marriage of that happiest of lovers, John Crumb. John Crumb had
been up to London, had been formally reconciled to Ruby,--who had
submitted to his floury embraces, not with the best grace in the
world, but still with a submission that had satisfied her future
husband,--had been intensely grateful to Mrs Hurtle, and almost
munificent in liberality to Mrs Pipkin, to whom he presented a purple
silk dress, in addition to the cloak which he had given on a former
occasion. During this visit he had expressed no anger against Ruby,
and no indignation in reference to the baronite. When informed by Mrs
Pipkin, who hoped thereby to please him, that Sir Felix was supposed
to be still 'all one mash of gore,' he blandly smiled, remarking that
no man could be much worse for a 'few sich taps as them.' He only
stayed a few hours in London, but during these few hours he settled
everything. When Mrs Pipkin suggested that Ruby should be married from
her house, he winked his eye as he declined the suggestion with
thanks. Daniel Ruggles was old, and, under the influence of continued
gin and water, was becoming feeble. John Crumb was of opinion that the
old man should not be neglected, and hinted that with a little care
the five hundred pounds which had originally been promised as Ruby's
fortune, might at any rate be secured. He was