"It is this that troubles her; she fears that, in your love for beautiful things, she will not always please you."
Joseph reached forth his arms and drew the shrinking girl to his bosom.
"Don"t tremble--don"t cry, Mary, you are in my heart, and that is flooded with beauty; what else do I want?"
Mary sobbed out the tenderness and grat.i.tude that filled her bosom in a few low murmurs, that had no meaning, save to the heart over which they were uttered.
Aunt Hannah turned to uncle Nathan.
"Is it not best, my brother, that two creatures who love each other so much should be married?"
Uncle Nathan was busy wiping the tears from his brown eyes, that were full of tender light as those of a rabbit. It was seldom that he awoke to a sense of worldly wisdom; but the helplessness of the young creatures before him, for once overcame his benevolence.
"Oh, Hannah, what would become of them when we get too old for work?"
"We are too old, now," answered the sister, "but put all this on one side. If you and I were rich enough to make them and theirs comfortable, what would you say then?"
"What would I say--why, G.o.d bless them and multiply them upon the face of the earth! That"s what I would say!"
"And I," responded aunt Hannah, solemnly, "would answer amen!"
With a dignity that was very impressive, she took the clasped hands of the youth and maiden between both hers and once more she uttered the word "amen"
All this time Isabel Chester, pale and feeble from illness, sat in an easy-chair upon the hearth, filled with self-compa.s.sion, and yet feeling a generous pleasure that others could be happy though she was so very desolate. Thus ten o"clock drew on, and the clergyman knocked at the front door.
Aunt Hannah stood stiffly upright for a moment, as if nerving herself, then, turned toward the family.
"Come!" she said. "It is twenty-one years to-day, since our sister died, come!"
CHAPTER L.
EXPLANATIONS AND EXPEDIENTS.
It was a scene of solemn power and force, That woman, standing there, with marble face, As cold and still as any sheeted corse, The martyr herald of her own disgrace.
Meantime another strange scene was going on at the Farnham mansion. On that day young Farnham was of age. His mother was to give up her trust as a.s.sociate guardian, and for the first time in his life, the young man would have a right to question and act for himself.
The counsellor whom Mrs. Farnham had summoned from the city--a shrewd, unscrupulous lawyer, was present with his accounts. The young man held these doc.u.ments in his hand, with an angry flush upon his brow.
"And so this testament left me still a slave!" he exclaimed, pa.s.sionately. "In all things where a man should be free as thought, I am bound eternally."
"You were only required not to marry against this lady"s consent,"
answered the lawyer; "in all things else, as I am informed, this great property, subject to the lady"s dower of course, was left to your control."
"In all things else!" exclaimed the youth, bitterly. "Why, this is everything."
"Certainly, certainly," answered the lawyer, "you see now the great self-sacrifice made by this inestimable lady, when she destroyed the will, leaving you enc.u.mbered only with a moral obligation"
"Which she knew to be fifty times as binding," said Farnham, glancing sternly at his mother.
"Yes, yes; I knew that your sense of honor would be stronger than fifty legal doc.u.ments like that; I depended on your generosity, Frederick; I drew a medium between the legal tyrant that your papa made me, and the powerless mother. Fred is n.o.ble, I argued; he loved his father; he will not bow to the law, but will fling all this fortune back into my lap. I will burn the will and trust to his sense of duty. There was a medium, sir, you comprehend all its delicate outlines, I trust."
This was said blandly to the lawyer, who bowed with a look of profound appreciation.
Farnham stood up firmly. "Mother, in this thing there is no medium between right and wrong. If my father left his property to me, his only child, on these conditions they must be enforced." He hesitated an instant, the crimson mounted to his temples, and he added in a clear, low voice, "madam, will you say upon your solemn word of honor, that this was the purport of the will you have burned?"
Mrs. Farnham turned white, her eyes fell, she trembled beneath the searching glance of her son.
"I--I cannot remember word for word, but as surely as I stand here, the property would have never been yours by the will, without--without"--
"Enough," said the young man, "enough that you have said it once, I submit to the will of my father."
"And you give up this girl. Dear, dear, Frederick!"
"No, madam; I give up the property. You have made us equal; Isabel would have refused me with this wealth; she will not find the heart to reject me now."
"Frederick, you are--yes--if this gentleman permits, I must say it--you are an ingrate!"
"My guardian must be informed of this will and its conditions," said Farnham.
"I expected this!" exclaimed Mrs. Farnham, addressing the lawyer; "no regard for his mother, no respect for his dear father"s memory. You see, my friend, what a trial I have had!"
The lawyer looked keenly at young Farnham.
"You had better let this subject rest," he said; "it has been well managed so far; leave it with this good lady and myself."
"There seems no need of management here," was the firm answer; "my father"s will must be carried out."
"Let me act between you and your gentle mamma, dear sir. She must yield a little, I see. You have a fancy, I am told, for the young lady who has been so long an object of her bounty. Suppose your mother can be induced to withdraw her objections to the match, on condition that you let this matter of the will rest. It is so unpleasant to a sensitive nature like hers, this raking up of buried troubles. Consent to let them rest as they are, and I will undertake to gain consent to your marriage with this--I must admit--very beautiful young creature.
Say, is it settled?"
"Not yet, or thus," answered the young man, firmly; "I have an alternative, and I solemnly believe the only one which will win this n.o.ble girl to become my wife. Instead of embezzling my father"s property, which does not belong to me, if I marry her, I can renounce that which brings so cruel an inc.u.mbrance."
"But you will not," said the lawyer.
"Yes, if it is necessary to gain Isabel Chester, I will!" answered the youth.
"In that case you know the property will become your mother"s!"
The young man looked suddenly and searchingly on his mother. His heart rose indignantly. He could not force himself to respect that woman!
"Have you decided?" inquired the lawyer, smiling.
"Not till I have seen Isabel," answered the youth, looking at his watch. "Madam, it is half-past nine, and I think we promised that old man to be at his Homestead at ten; Isabel Chester is there. In her presence you shall hear my decision."