put yourself in his place-第63部分

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〃Not　at　present；〃　said　Little；　with　a　sigh。

〃Then　I　put　it　to　you；　as　a　man；　is　it　fair　of　you　to　pay　her　open　attentions；　and　compromise　her？　　You　must　not　think　me　very　mercenary；　I　am　not　the　man　to　give　my　daughter　to　the　highest　bidder。　　But　there　is　a　medium。〃

〃I　understand　you；　sir；　so　far。　　But　what　am　I　to　do？　　Am　I　to　leave　off　loving；　and　hoping；　and　working；　and　inventing？　　You　might　as　well　tell　me　to　leave　off　living。〃

〃No；　my　poor　boy；　I　don't　say　that；　neither。　　If　it　is　really　for　her　you　work；　and　invent；　and　struggle　with　fortune　so　nobly　as　I　know　you　do；　persevere；　and　may　God　speed　you。　　But；　meantime；　be　generous；　and　don't　throw　yourself　in　her　way　to　compromise　her。〃

The　young　man　was　overpowered　by　the　kindness　and　firmness　of　his　senior；　who　was　also　Grace's　father。　　He　said；　in　a　choking　voice；　there　was　no　self…denial　he　would　not　submit　to；　if　it　was　understood　that　he　might　still　love　Grace；　and　might　marry　her　as　soon　as　he　could　make　a　proper　settlement　on　her。

Then　Mr。　Carden；　on　his　part；　went　further　than　he　had　intended；　and　assented　distinctly　to　all　this；　provided　the　delay　was　not　unreasonable　in　point　of　time。　　〃I　can't　have　her　whole　life　wasted。〃

〃Give　me　two　years：　I'll　win　her　or　lose　her　in　that　time。〃　　He　then　asked；　piteously；　if　he　might　see　her。

〃I　am　sorry　to　say　No　to　that；〃　was　the　reply；　〃but　she　has　been　already　very　much　agitated；　and　I　should　be　glad　to　spare　her　further　emotion。　　You　need　not　doubt　her　attachment　to　you；　nor　my　esteem。　　You　are　a　very　worthy；　honest　young　man；　and　your　conduct　does　much　to　reconcile　me　to　what　I　own　is　a　disappointment。〃

Having　thus　gilded　the　pill；　Mr。　Carden　shook　hands　with　Henry　Little；　and　conducted　him　politely　to　the　street　door。

The　young　man　went　away　slowly；　for　he　was　disconsolate　at　not　seeing　Grace。

But；　when　he　got　home；　his　stout　Anglo…Saxon　heart　reacted；　and　he　faced　the　situation。

He　went　to　his　mother　and　told　her　what　had　passed。　　She　colored　with　indignation；　but　said　nothing。

〃Well；　mother；　of　course　it　might　be　better；　but　then　it　might　be　worse。　　It's　my　own　fault　now　if　I　lose　her。　　Cutlery　won't　do　it　in　the　time；　but　Invention　will：　so；　from　this　hour；　I'm　a　practical　inventor；　and　nothing　but　death　shall　stop　me。〃


CHAPTER　XXVII。


Grace　Carden　ran　to　the　window；　and　saw　Henry　Little　go　away　slowly；　and　hanging　his　head。　　This　visible　dejection　in　her　manly　lover　made　her　heart　rise　to　her　throat；　and　she　burst　out　sobbing　and　weeping　with　alarming　violence。

Mr。　Carden　found　her　in　this　state；　and　set　himself　to　soothe　her。　He　told　her　the　understanding　he　had　come　to　with　Mr。　Little；　and　begged　her　to　be　as　reasonable　and　as　patient　as　her　lover　was。　　But　the　appeal　was　not　successful。　　〃He　came　to　see　me；〃　she　cried；　〃and　he　has　gone　away　without　seeing　me。　　You　have　begun　to　break　both　our　hearts；　with　your　reason　and　your　prudence。　　One　comfort；　mine　will　break　first；　I　have　not　his　fortitude。　　Oh；　my　poor　Henry！　　He　has　gone　away；　hanging　his　head；　broken…hearted：　that　is　what　you　have　DONE　for　me。　　After　that；　what　are　words？　　Airairand　you　can't　feed　hungry　hearts　with　air。〃

〃Well；　my　child；　I　am　sorry　now　I　did　not　bring　him　in　here。　　But　I　really　did　it　for　the　best。　　I　wished　to　spare　you　further　agitation。〃

Agitation！〃　　And　she　opened　her　eyes　with　astonishment。　　〃Why；　it　is　you　who　agitate　me。　　He　would　have　soothed　me　in　a　moment。　　One　kind　and　hopeful　word　from　him；　one　tender　glance　of　his　dear　eye；　one　pressure　of　his　dear　hard　hand；　and　I　could　have　borne　anything；　but　that　drop　of　comfort　you　denied　us　both。　　Oh；　cruel！　cruel！〃

〃Calm　yourself；　Grace；　and　remember　whom　you　are　speaking　to。　　It　was　an　error　in　judgment；　perhapsnothing　more。〃

〃But；　then；　if　you　know　nothing　about　love；　and　its　soothing　power；　why　meddle　with　it　at　all？〃

〃Grace；〃　said　Mr。　Carden；　sadly；　but　firmly；　〃we　poor　parents　are　all　prepared　for　this。　　After　many　years　of　love　and　tenderness　bestowed　on　our　offspring；　the　day　is　sure　to　come　when　the　young　thing　we　have　reared　with　so　much　care　and　tenderness　will　meet　a　person　of　her　own　age；　a　STRANGER；　and；　in　a　month　or　two；　all　our　love；　our　care；　our　anxiety；　our　hopes；　will　be　nothing　in　the　balance。　　This　wound　is　in　store　for　us　all。　　We　foresee　it；　we　receive　it；　we　groan　under　it；　we　forgive　it。　　We　go　patiently　on；　and　still　give　our　ungrateful　children　the　benefit　of　our　love　and　our　experience。　　I　have　seen　in　my　own　family　that　horrible　mixture；　Gentility　and　Poverty。　　In　our　class　of　life；　poverty　is　not　only　poverty；　it　is　misery；　and　meanness　as　well。　　My　income　dies　with　me。　　My　daughter　and　her　children　shall　not　go　back　to　the　misery　and　meanness　out　of　which　I　have　struggled。　　They　shall　be　secured　against　it　by　law；　before　she　marries；　or　she　shall　marry　under　her　father's　curse。〃

Then　Grace　was　frightened；　and　said　she　should　never　marry　under　her　father's　curse；　but　（with　a　fresh　burst　of　weeping）　what　need　was　there　to　send　Henry　away　without　seeing　her；　and　letting　them　comfort　each　other　under　this　sudden　affliction？　　〃Ah；　I　was　too　happy　this　morning；〃　said　the　poor　girl。　　〃I　was　singing　before　breakfast。　　Jael　always　told　me　not　to　do　that。　　Oh！　oh！　oh！〃

Mr。　Carden　kept　silence；　but　his　fortitude　was　sorely　tried。

That　day　Grace　pleaded　headache；　and　did　not　appear　to　dinner。　　Mr。　Carden　dined　alone；　and　missed　her　bright　face　sadly。　　He　sent　his　love　to　her；　and　went　off　to　the　club；　not　very　happy。　　At　the　club　he　met　Mr。　Coventry；　and　told　him　frankly　what　he　had　done。　　Mr。　Coventry；　to　his　surprise；　thanked　him　warmly。　　〃She　will　be　mine　in　two　years；〃　said　he。　　〃Little　will　never　be　able　to　make　a　settlement　on　her。〃　　This　remark　set　Mr。　Carden　thinking。

Grace　watched　the　window　day　after　day；　but　Henry　never　came　nor　passed。　　She　went　a　great　deal　more　than　usual　into　the　town；　in　hopes　of　meeting　him　by　the　purest　accident。　　She　longed　to　call　on　Mrs。　Little；　but　feminine　instinct　withheld　her；　she　divined　that　Mrs。　Little　must　be　deeply　offended。

She　fretted　for　a　sight　of　Henry；　and　for　an　explanation；　in　which　she　might　clear　herself；　and　show　her　love；　without　being　in　the　least　disobedient　to　her　father。　　Now　all　this　was　too　subtle　to　be　written。　　So　she　fretted　and　pined　for　a　meeting。

While　she　was　in　this　condition；　and　losing　color　every　day；　who　should　call　one　dayto　reconnoiter；　I　supposebut　Mr。　Coventry。

Grace　was　lying　on　the　sofa；　languid　and　distraite；　when　he　was　announced。　　She　sat　up　directly；　and　her　eye　kindled。

Mr。　Coventry　came　in　with　his　usual　grace　and　cat…like　step。　　〃Ah；　Miss　Carden！〃

Miss　Carden　rose　majestically　to　her　feet；　made　him　a　formal　courtesy；　and　swept　out　of　the　room；　without　deigning　him　a　word。　She　went　to　the　study；　and　said；　〃Papa；　here's　a　friend　of　yours　Mr。　Coventry。〃

〃Dear　me；　I　am　very　busy。　　I　wish　you　would　amuse　him　for　a　few　minutes　till　I　have　finished　this　letter。〃

〃Excuse　me；　papa；　I　cannot　stay　in　the　same　room　with　Mr。　Coventry。〃

〃Why　not；　pray？〃

〃He　is　a　dangerous　man：　he　compromises　one。　　He　offered　me　an　engagement…ring；　and　I　refused　it；　yet　he　made　you　believe　we　were　engaged。　　You　have　taken　care　I　shall　not　be　compromised　with　the　man　I　love；　and　shall　I　be　compromised　with　the　man　I　don't　care　for？　　No；　thank　you。〃

〃Very　well；　Grace；〃　said　Mr。　Carden；　coldly。

Shortly　after　this　Mr。　Carden　requested　Dr。　Amboyne　to　call；　he　received　the　doctor　in　his　study；　and　told　him　that　he　was　beginning　to　be　uneasy　about　Grace；　she　was　losing　her　appetite；　her　color；　and　her　spirits。　　Should　he　send　her　to　the　seaside？

〃The　seaside！　　I　distrust　conventional　remedies。　　Let　me　see　the　patient。〃

He　entered　the　room　and　found　her　coloring　a　figure　she　had　drawn：　it　was　a　beautiful　woman；　with　an　anchor　at　her　feet。　　The　door　was　open；　and　the　doctor；　entering　softly；　saw　a　tear　fall　on　the　work　from　a　face　so　pale　and　worn　with　pining；　that　he　could　hardly　repress　a　start；　he　did　repress　it　though；　for　starts　are　unprofessional；　he　shook　hands　with　her　in　his　usual　way。　　〃Sorry　to　hear　you　are　indisposed；　my　dear　Miss　Grace。〃　　He　then　examined　her　tongue；　and　felt　her　pulse；　and　then　he　sat　down；　right　before　her；　and　fixed　his　eyes　on　her。　　〃How　long　have　you　been　unwell？〃

〃I　am　not　unwell　that　I　know　of；〃　said　Grace；　a　little　sullenly。

〃One　reason　I　ask；　I　have　another　patient；　who　has　been　attacked　somewhat　in　the　same　way。〃

Grace　colored；　and　fixed　a　searching　eye　on　the　doctor。　　〃Do　I　know　the　lady？〃

〃No。　　For　it　happens　to　be　a　male　patient。〃

〃Perhaps　it　is　going　about。〃

〃Possibly；　this　is　the　age　of　competition。　　Still　it　is　hard　you　can't　have　a　little　malady　of　this　kind　all　to　yourself；　don't　you　think　so？〃

At　this　Grace　laughed　hysterically。

〃Come；　none　of　that　before　me；〃　said　the　doctor　sternly。

She　stopped　directly；　frightened。　　The　doctor　smiled。

Mr。　Carden　peeped　in　from　his　study。　　〃When　you　have　done　with　her；　come　and　prescribe　for　me。　　I　am　a　little　out　of　sorts　too。〃　　With　this；　he　retired。　　〃That　means　you　are　to　go　and　tell　him　what　is　the　matter　with　me；〃　said　Grace　bitterly。

〃Is　his　curiosity　unjustifiable？〃

〃Oh　no。　　Poor　papa！〃　　Then　she　asked　him　dryly　if　he　knew　what　was　the　matter　with　her。

〃I　think　I　do。〃

〃Then　cure　me。〃　　This　with　haughty　incredulity。

〃I'll　try；　and　a　man　can　but　do　his　best。　　I'll　tell　you　one　thing：　if　I　can't　cure　you；　no　doctor　in　the　world　can：　see　how　modest　I　am。　　Now　for　papa。〃

She　let　him　go　to　the　very　door：　and　then　a　meek　little　timid　voice　said；　in　a　scarce　audible　murmur；　〃Doctor！〃

Now　when　this　meek　murmur　issued　from　a　young　lady　who　had；　up　to　this　period　of　the　interview；　been　rather　cold　and　cutting；　the　sagacious　doctor　smiled。　　〃My　dear？〃　said　he；　in　a　very　gentle　voice。

〃Doctor！　about　your　other　patient！〃

〃Well？〃

〃Is　he　as　bad　as　I　am？　　For　indeed；　my　dear　friend；　I　feelmy　food　has　no　tastelife　itself　no　savor。　　I　used　to　go　singing；　now　I　sit　sighing。　　Is　he　as　bad　as　I　am？〃

〃I'll　tell　you　the　truth；　his　malady　is　as　strong　as　yours；　but　he　has　the　great　advantage　of　being　a　man；　and；　again；　of　being　a　man　of　brains。　　He　is　a　worker；　and　an　inventor；　and　now；