Ferrars
undertaken to press it, under the strong conviction that remaining at
home would be destruction, above all, with young Dusautoy making part
of the family.
'I declare,' said Mr. Ferrars, 'he looked so much at home in the
drawing-room, and welcomed Gilbert with such an air of patronage,
that I could have found it in my heart to have knocked him down!'
It was a treat to hear Maurice speak so unguardedly, and Albinia
laughed, and asked whether he thought it very wrong to hope that the
Polysyllable would yet do something flagrant enough to open Lucy's
eyes.
'I'll allow you to hope that _if_ he should, her eyes _may_ be
opened,' said Maurice.
Albinia began a vehement vindication for their having tolerated the
engagement, in the midst of which her brother was obliged to depart,
amused at her betrayal of her own sentiments by warfare against what
he had never said.
She had treated his counsel as chimerical, but when she repeated it
to her husband, she thought better of it, since, alas! it had become
her great object to part those two loving brothers. Mr. Kendal first
asked where the 25th Lancers were, then spoke of expense, and
inquired what she knew of the cost of commissions, and of her
cousin's means. All she could answer for was, that Fred's portion
was much smaller than Gilbert's inheritance, but at least she knew
how to learn what was wanted, and if her friends, the old Generals,
were to be trusted, she ought to have no lack of interest at the
Horse Guards.
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