"You"re goin" to Mr. Goodwin"s, ma"am?"
"Yes; are he and Mrs. Goodwin at home, can you tell me?"
"They are, ma"am, but you may as well go back again; you"ll have no luck this day."
"Why so?"
"Why, bekaise you won"t; didn"t you meet me? Who ever has luck that meets me? n.o.body ought to know that betther than yourself, for, by all accounts, you"re tarred wid the same stick."
"Foolish woman," replied Mrs. Lindsay, "how is it in your power to prevent me?"
"No matther," replied the woman; "go an; but mark my words, you"ll have your journey for nuttin", whatever it is. Indeed, if I turned back three steps wid you it might be otherwise, but you refused to cross my hand, so you must take your luck," and with a frightful glance from the eye aforesaid, she pa.s.sed on.
As she drove up to Mr. Goodwin"s residence she was met on the steps of the hall-door by that kind-hearted gentleman and his wife, and received with a feeling of gratification which the good people could not disguise.
"I suppose," said Mrs. Lindsay, after they had got seated in the drawing-room, "that you are surprised to see me here?"
"We are delighted, say, Mrs. Lindsay," replied Mr. Goodwin--"delighted.
Why should ill-will come between neighbors and friends without any just cause on either side? That property--"
"O, don"t talk about that," replied Mrs. Lindsay; "I didn"t come to speak about it; let everything connected with it be forgotten; and as proof that I wish it should be so, I came here to-day to renew the intimacy that should subsist between us."
"And, indeed," replied Mrs. Goodwin, "the interruption of that intimacy distressed us very much--more, perhaps, Mrs. Lindsay, than you might feel disposed to give us credit for."
"Well, my dear madam," replied the other, "I am sure you will be glad to hear that I have not only my own inclination, but the sanction and wish of my whole family, in making this friendly visit, with the hope of placing us all upon our former footing. But, to tell you the truth, this might not have been so, were it not for the anxiety of my son Henry, who has returned to us, and whom, I believe, you know."
"We have that pleasure," replied Goodwin; "and from what we have seen of him, we think you have a right to feel proud of such a son."
"So I do, indeed," replied his mother; "he is a good and most amiable young man, without either art or cunning, but truthful and honorable in the highest degree. It is to him we shall all be indebted for this reconciliation; or, perhaps, I might say," she added, with a smile, "to your own daughter Alice."
"Ah! poor Alice," exclaimed her father; "none of us felt the estrangement of the families with so much regret as she did."
"Indeed, Mrs. Lindsay," added his wife, "I can bear witness to that; many a bitter tear it occasioned the poor girl."
"I believe she is a most amiable creature," replied Mrs. Lindsay; "and I believe," she added with a smile, "that there is one particular young gentleman of that opinion as well as myself."
We believe in our souls that the simplest woman in existence, or that ever lived, becomes a deep and thorough diplomatist when engaged in a conversation that involves in the remotest degree any matrimonial speculation for a daughter. Now, Mrs. Goodwin knew as well as the reader does, that Mrs. Lindsay made allusion to her son Harry, the new-comer; but she felt that it was contrary to the spirit of such negotiations to make a direct admission of that feeling; she, accordingly, was of opinion that in order to bring Mrs. Lindsay directly to the point, and to exonerate herself and her husband from ever having entertained the question at all, her best plan was to misunderstand her, and seem to proceed upon a false scent.
"O, indeed, Mrs. Lindsay," she replied, "I am not surprised at that; Charles and Alice were always great favorites with each other."
"Charles!" exclaimed Mrs. Lindsay; "Charles! What could induce you to think of a.s.sociating Charles and Alice? He is unworthy of such an a.s.sociation."
"Bless me," exclaimed Mrs. Goodwin in her turn; "why, I thought you alluded to Charles."
"No," said her neighbor, "I alluded to my eldest son, Harry, to whose good offices in this matter both families are so much indebted. He is worthy of any girl, and indeed few girls are worthy of him; but as for Alice, you know what a favorite she was with me, and I trust now I shall like her even better than ever."
"You are right, Mrs. Lindsay," said Goodwin, "in saying that few women are worthy of your eldest son; he is a most gentlemanly, and evidently a most accomplished young man; his conversation at breakfast here the morning after the storm was so remarkable, both for good sense and good feeling, that I am not surprised at your friendly visit today, Mrs.
Lindsay. He was sent, I hope, to introduce a spirit of peace and concord between us, and G.o.d forbid that we should repel it; on the contrary, we hail his mediation with delight, and feel deeply indebted to him for placing both families in their original position."
"I trust in a better position," replied his adroit mother; "I trust in a better position, Mr. Goodwin, and a still nearer and dearer connection.
It is better, however, to speak out; you know me of old, my dear friends, and that I am blunt and straightforward--as the proverb has it, "I think what I say, and I say what I think." This visit, then, is made, as I said, not only by my own wish, but at the express entreaty of my son Harry, and the great delight of the whole family; there is therefore no use in concealing the fact--he is deeply attached to your daughter, Alice, and was from the first moment he saw her;--of course you now understand my mission--which is, in fact, to make a proposal of marriage in his name, and to entreat your favorable consideration of it, as well as your influence in his behalf with Alice herself."
"Well, I declare, Mrs. Lindsay," replied Mrs. Goodwin, (G.o.d forgive her!) "you have taken us quite by surprise--you have indeed;--dear me--I"m quite agitated; but he is, indeed, a fine young man--a perfect gentleman in his manners, and if he be as good as he looks--for marriage, G.o.d help us, tries us all--"
"I hope it never tried you much, Martha," replied her husband, smiling.
"No, my dear, I don"t say so. Still, when the happiness of one"s child is concerned--and such a child as Alice--"
"But consider, Mrs. Goodwin," replied the amba.s.sadress, who, in fact, was not far from an explosion at what she considered a piece of contemptible vacillation on the part of her neighbor--"consider, Mrs.
Goodwin," said she, "that the happiness of my son is concerned."
"I know it is," she replied; "but speak to her father, Mrs. Lindsay--he, as such, is the proper person--O, dear me."
"Well, Mr. Goodwin--you have heard what I have said?"
"I have, madam," said he; "but thank G.o.d I am not so nervous as my good wife here. I like your son, Harry, very much, from what I have seen of him--and, to be plain with you, I really see no objection to such a match. On the contrary, it will promote peace and good-will between us; and, I have no doubt, will prove a happy event to the parties most concerned."
"O, there is not a doubt of it," exclaimed Mrs. Goodwin, now chiming in with her husband; "no, there can be no doubt of it. O, they will be very happy together, and that will be so delightful. My darling Alice!"--and here she became pathetic, and shed tears copiously--"yes," she added, "we will lose you, my darling, and a lonely house we will have after you, for I suppose they will live in the late Mr. Hamilton"s residence, on their own property."
This allusion to the arrangements contemplated in the event of the marriage, redeemed, to a certain degree, the simple-hearted Mrs. Goodwin from the strongest possible contempt on the part of a woman who was never known to shed a tear upon any earthly subject.
"Well, then," proceeded Mrs. Lindsay, "I am to understand that this proposal on the behalf of my son is accepted?"
"So far as I and Mrs. Goodwin are concerned," replied Goodwin, "you are, indeed, Mrs. Lindsay, and so far all is smooth and easy; but, on the other hand, there is Alice--she, you know, is to be consulted."
"O! as for poor Alice," said her mother, "there will be no difficulty with her; whatever I and her father wish her to do, if it be to please us, that she will do."
"I trust," said Mrs. Lindsay, "she has no previous attachment; for that would be unfortunate for herself, poor girl."
"She an attachment!" exclaimed her mother; "no, the poor, timid creature never thought of such a thing."
"It is difficult for parents to know that," replied Mrs. Lindsay; "but where is she?"
"She"s gone out," replied her mother, "to take a pleasant jaunt somewhere with a young friend of ours, a Mr. O"Connor; but, indeed, I"m glad she is not here, for if she was, we could not, you know, discuss this matter in her presence."
"That is very true," observed Mrs. Lindsay, dryly; "but perhaps she doesn"t regret her absence. As it is, I think you ought to impress upon her that, in the article of marriage, a young and inexperienced girl like her ought to have no will but that of her parents, who are best qualified, from their experience and knowledge of life to form and direct her principles."
"I do not think," said her father, "that there is anything to be apprehended on her part. She is the most unselfish and disinterested girl that ever existed, and sooner than give her mother or me a pang, I am sure she would make any sacrifice; but at the same time," he added, "if her own happiness were involved in the matter, I should certainly accept no such sacrifice at her hands."
"As to that, Mr. Goodwin," she replied, "I hope we need calculate upon nothing on her part but a willing consent and obedience. At all events, it is but natural that they should be pretty frequently in each other"s society, and that my son should have an opportunity of inspiring her with good will towards him, if not a still warmer feeling. The matter being now understood, of course, that is and will be his exclusive privilege."
"Your observations, my dear madam, are but reasonable and natural,"
replied Goodwin. "Why, indeed, should it be otherwise, considering their contemplated relation to each other? Of course, we shall be delighted to see him here as often as he chooses to come, and so, I am sure, will Alice."
They then separated upon the most cordial terms; and Mrs. Lindsay, having mounted her vehicle, proceeded on her way home. She was, however, far from satisfied at the success of her interview with the Goodwins. So far as the consent of her father and mother went, all was, to be sure, quite as she could have wished it; but then, as to Alice herself, there might exist an insurmountable difficulty. She did not at all relish the fact of that young lady"s taking her amus.e.m.e.nt with Mr. O"Connor, who she knew was of a handsome person and independent circ.u.mstances, and very likely to become a formidable rival to her son. As matters stood, however, she resolved to conceal her apprehensions on this point, and to urge Harry to secure, if possible, the property, which both she herself and he had solely in view. As for the girl, each of them looked on her as a cipher in the transaction, whose only value was rated by the broad acres which they could not secure without taking her along with them.
The family were dispersed when she returned home, and she, consequently, reserved the account of her mission until she should meet them in the evening. At length the hour came, and she lost no time in opening the matter at full length, suppressing, at the same time, her own apprehensions of Alice"s consent, and her dread of the rivalry on the part of O"Connor.
"Well," said she, "I have seen these people; I have called upon them, as you all know; and, as I said, I have seen them."