'
'You don't want me to give him up!' cried Lucy. 'Oh! mamma, did not
he say he had consented?'
'I said it rested with yourself Lucy. Do not answer me now. Come to
me at six o'clock, and tell me, after full reflection, whether I am
to consider you as ready to pledge yourself to this young man.'
It was all that could be done. Albinia had a dim hope that the sense
of responsibility, and dread of that hard will and selfish temper,
might so rise upon Lucy as to startle her, but then, as Mr. Kendal
observed, if she should decide against him, she would have used him
so extremely ill, that they should feel nothing but shame.
'Yes,' said Albinia, 'but it would be better to be ashamed of a
girl's folly, than to see her made miserable for life. Poor Lucy! if
she decide against him, she will become a woman at once, if not, I'm
afraid it will be the prediction about Marie Antoinette over again--
very gay, and coming right through trial.'
They were obliged to tell Sophy of the state of things. She stood up
straight, and said, slowly and clearly, 'I do not like the world at
all.'
'I don't quite see what you mean.'
'Every one does what can't be helped, and it is not _the_ thing.'
'Explain yourself, Sophy,' said her father, amused.
'I don't think Lucy ought to be making the decision at all,' said
Sophy. She did that long ago, when first, she attended to what he
said to her. If she does not take him now, it will be swearing to
her neighbour, and disappointing him, because it is to her own
hindrance.
Pages:
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570