elinor wyllys-2- 第40部分

〃Keep　your　money；　Charles；　we　can　make　out　very　well　in　the　old　cottage；　more　comfortably　than　we　have　ever　done　before。　You　will　want　all　you　can　make　one　of　these　days；　when　you　marry；〃　said　Miss　Patsey。

To　her　surprise；　Charlie　showed　some　emotion　at　this　allusion　to　his　marrying；　and　remained　perfectly　silent　for　an　instant；　instead　of　giving　the　playful　answer　that　his　sister　had　expected　to　hear。

Mrs。　Hubbard　then　observed；　that　she　should　not　wish　to　move；　she　hoped　to　end　her　life　in　the　old　grey　cottage。　They　had　lived　so　long　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Longbridge；　that　a　new　place　would　not　seem　like　home　to　Patsey　and　herself。　Charlie　must　come　to　see　them　as　often　as　he　could；　perhaps　he　would　be　able　to　spend　his　summers　there。

〃Well；　we　shall　see；　mother；　at　any　rate；　Mary　and　I　together；　we　shall　be　able　to　make　your　life　easy；　I　trust。〃

Mrs。　Hubbard　observed；　that　although　they　had　been　poor　for　the　last　seventeen　years；　yet　they　had　never　really　seemed　to　feel　the　weight　of　poverty；　they　had　met　with　so　much　kindness；　from　so　many　relations　and　friends。

〃But　kindness　from　our　own　children；　mother；　is　the　most　blessed　of　all；〃　said　Patsey。

Charlie　did　not　give　up　his　plan；　however；　but　he　forbore　to　press　it　for　the　present；　as　he　was　engaged　to　drive　his　sister；　Mrs。　Clapp；　to　her　own　house　at　Longbridge。　Hubbard　had　kept　aloof　from　his　brother…in…law　whenever　he　could；　since　the　Stanley　suit　had　been　commenced；　any　allusion　to　this　affair　was　painful　to　him；　he　had　never　respected　Mr。　Clapp；　and　now　strongly　suspected　him　of　unfair　dealing。　He　pitied　his　sister　Kate　from　the　bottom　of　his　heart；　but　it　seemed　pity　quite　thrown　away。　To　judge　from　her　conversation；　as　Charlie　was　driving　her　home；　she　had　implicit　confidence　in　her　husband；　if　she　had　at　first　doubted　the　identity　of　the　sailor；　she　had　never　for　a　second　supposed；　that　William　himself　was　not　firmly　convinced　of　it。　On　the　other　hand；　she　began　to　have　some　misgivings　as　to　the　character　and　integrity　of　Mr。　Wyllys；　whom　hitherto；　all　her　life　long；　she　had　been　used　to　consider　as　the　model　of　a　gentleman；　and　an　upright　man。　She　soon　got　up　quite　a　prejudice　against　Mrs。　Stanley；　and　as　for　Hazlehurst；　he　fell　very　low　indeed　in　her　estimation。

〃You　don't　know　what　trouble　poor　William　has　with　this　suit；〃　she　said　to　her　brother。　〃I　am　sometimes　afraid　it　will　make　him　sick。　It　does　seem　very　strange；　that　Mr。　Stanley's　executors　should　be　so　obstinate　in　refusing　to　acknowledge　his　son。　At　first　it　was　natural　they　should　hesitate；　I　mistrusted　this　sailor　at　first；　myself；　but　now　that　William　has　made　everything　so　clear；　they　cannot　have　any　excuse　for　their　conduct。〃

Charlie　whipped　the　flies　from　his　horse；　without　answering　this　remark。

〃I　hope　William　will　come　home　to…night。　He　and　Mr。　Stanley　have　gone　off　together；　to　get　possession　of　some　very　important　papers；　they　received　a　letter　offering　these　papers；　only　the　night　before　last；　and　William　says　they　will　establish　Mr。　Stanley's　claim；　beyond　the　possibility　of　a　denial。　Mr。　Wyllys　and　Mr。　Hazlehurst　will　feel　very　badly；　I　should　think；　when　they　find　that　after　all；　they　have　been　keeping　their　friend's　son　from　his　rights。〃

〃They　believe　they　are　doing　their　duty；〃　said　Charlie；　laconically。

〃It　seems　a　strange　view　of　duty；　to　act　as　they　do。〃

〃Strange　views　of　duty　are　very　common；〃　said　Charlie；　glad　to　take　refuge　in　generalities。

〃Common　sense　and　common　honesty　will　help　us　all　to　do　our　duty；〃　observed　Kate。

〃No　doubt；　but　both　are　more　uncommon　qualities　than　one　would　think；　among　rational　beings；〃　said　Charlie。

〃Well；　you　know；　Charles；　Patsey　used　to　tell　us　when　we　were　children；　that　a　plain；　honest　heart；　and　plain；　good　sense　were　the　best　things　in　the　world。〃

〃That　is　the　reason；　I　suppose；　why　we　love　our　sister　Patsey　so　much；　because　she　has　so　much　of　those　best　things　in　the　world；〃　said　Charlie；　warmly。　〃I　never　saw　a　woman　like　her；　for　downright；　plain　goodness。　The　older　I　grow；　the　better　I　know　her；　and　I　love　you；　Kate；　for　the　same　reasonyou　are　straightforward　and　honest；　too；〃　he　added；　smiling。

〃William　often　laughs　at　me；　though；　and　says　my　opinion　is　not　good　for　much；〃　said　the　sister；　shaking　her　head；　but　smiling　prettily　at　the　same　time。

〃I　am　sure　no　one　can　complain　of　your　actions；　Kate；　whatever　your　opinions　may　be；〃　replied　Charlie；　and　whatever　might　have　been　his　estimate　of　Clapp's　views；　he　forbore　to　utter　a　syllable　on　the　subject；　for　he　respected　the　wife's　affection；　and　knew　that　his　brother…in…law　had　at　least　one　good　qualityhe　was　kind　and　faithful　as　a　husband　and　father；　according　to　common…place　ideas　of　faithfulness　at　least；　for　he　would　any　day　risk　their　character　and　peace；　to　make　a　little　money。

The　conversation　of　the　young　people　soon　turned　upon　their　trifling；　foolish；　unfortunate　cousin；　Mrs。　Hilson；　and　this　was　a　subject；　upon　which　both　brother　and　sister　agreed　entirely。　Before　long；　they　drove　up　to　Mr。　Clapp's　door；　and　were　received　by　the　lawyer　himself；　who　had　just　returned　with　his　client；　this　latter　individual　was　also　seen　lounging　in　the　office。　Mr。　Clapp　professed　himself　entirely　satisfied　with　the　result　of　his　journey；　and　declared　that　they　were　now　quite　ready　for　Mr。　Hazlehurstsure　of　a　victory；　beyond　all　doubt。

The　time　had　not　been　lost　by　Harry　and　his　friends；　however；　they　too；　thought　themselves　ready　for　the　trial。　As　the　important　day　was　drawing　near；　Mr。　Ellsworth　was　obliged　to　leave　Wyllys…Roof；　he　had　done　all　he　could　at　Longbridge；　and　there　were　still　various　matters　to　be　looked　after　in　Philadelphia。　Mrs。　Creighton　accompanied　her　brother；　and　they　were　not　to　return　to　Wyllys…Roof　until　after　the　important　question　was　decided。　Hazlehurst　was　then　to　come　with　them；　whether　defeated　or　triumphant　could　not　yet　be　known。　Harry's　friends；　however；　were　generally　sanguine；　and　Mrs。　Creighton　was　full　of　sympathy；　and　in　excellent　spirits。

There　remained　another　affair；　which　must　also　be　finally　settled　in　a　few　weeks。　When　Mr。　Ellsworth　returned　to　Wyllys…Roof；　the　appointed　three　months　of　probation　would　have　expired；　and　he　would　either　remain　there　as　the　affianced　husband　of　Elinor；　or　leave　Longbridge　her　rejected　suitor。

During　the　past　three　months；　Elinor　had　taken　an　important　step　in　life；　she　had　reached　a　point　in　experience；　where　she　had　never　stood　before。　The　whole　responsibility　of　deciding　upon　a　subject；　highly　important　to　herself；　and　to　those　connected　with　her；　had　been　thrown　entirely　upon　her　alone。　The　fate　of　her　whole　life　would　be　much　involved　in　the　present　decision。　During　the　last　two　or　three　years；　or　in　other　words；　since　she　had　first　discovered　that　Harry　loved　Jane；　she　had　intended　to　remain　single。　It　seemed　very　improbable　to　her；　that　any　one　would　seek　to　gain　her　affections；　unless　with　the　view　of　enjoying　the　fortune　which　she　had　now　the　reputation　of　possessing；　it　was　only　natural　that　she　should　exaggerate　those　personal　disadvantages；　which　had　lost　the　heart　of　him　whom　she　had　once　loved　so　truly。　She　had　been　so　much　attached　to　Hazlehurst；　that　she　shrunk　from　the　idea　of　ever　becoming　the　wife　of　another；　and　she　considered　herself　as　having　tacitly　made　choice　of　a　single　life；　which　her　mother's　letter　seemed　to　suggest。　But　as　she　never　spoke　of　her　views；　or　alluded　to　them；　her　grandfather　and　aunt　were　ignorant　of　this　intention；　and　she　soon　began　to　observe　with　regret　that　they　wished　her　to　marry；　and　were　indeed　anxious　that　she　should　accept　Mr。　Ellsworth。　This　was　the　first　occasion　of　any　importance；　on　which　their　wishes　and　her　own　had　been　at　variance；　it　was　a　new　position　for　Elinor　to　be　placed　in。　When　Mr。　Ellsworth　made　his　proposal；　it　was　owing　to　the　strong；　but　affectionate　representations　of　Mr。　Wyllys　and　Miss　Agnes；　that　he　was　not　immediately　rejected。　Elinor　was；　in　fact；　the　last　person　to　be　convinced　of　his　regard　for　her；　but　she　had　known　his　character　and　standing　too　well　to　believe　him　a　mere　fortune…hunter；　and　after　he　had　once　offered　himself；　could　not　doubt　his　sincerity。　She　mentioned　to　Miss　Wyllys　her　previous　intention　of　remaining　single。

〃Make　no　rash　decision；　my　love；〃　was　the　reply　at　the　time。　〃You　are　too　reasonable；　for　me　to　believe　that　you　will　do　so；　look　at　your　own　position；　Elinor；　you　will　be　alone　in　the　world；　more　so　than　most　women。　Your　grandfather　is　advanced　in　years；　and　my　health　warns　me　not　to　expect　a　long　life。　I　do　not　wish　to　distress　you；　but　to　place　the　truth　plainly　before　you；　my　Elinor。　You　have　neither　brother　nor　sister；　Jane　and　Harry；　your　intimate　companions　in　childhood；　will　be　separated　from　you　by　ties　and　duties　of　their　own。　What　will　you　do；　my　child？　An　affectionate　disposition　like　yours　cannot　be　happy　alone。　On　the　other　hand；　here　is　Mr。　Ellsworth；　who　is　certainly　attached　to　you；　a　man　of　excellent　character；　with　every　important　quality　that　can　be　desired。　You　say　you　wish　to　be　reasonable；　judge　for　yourself　what　is　the　wisest　course　under　these　circumstances。〃

Elinor　was　silent　for　a　moment；　at　length　she　spoke。

〃It　has　always　been　one　of　your　own　lessons　to　me；　dearest　aunt；　to　profit　by　the　past；　to　improve　the　present；　and　leave　the　future　to　Providence。　Yet；　now；　you　would　have　me　think　of　the　future　only；　and　you　urge　me　to　marry；　while　you　are　single；　and　happy；　yourself！〃

〃Yes；　my　child；　but　I　have　had　your　grandfather　and　you；　to　make　me　happy　and　useful。　Most　single　women　have　near　relatives；　to　whom　they　can　attach　themselves；　whom　it　is　a　duty　and　a　pleasure　to　love　and　serve；　but　that　is　not　your　case。　Elinor；　your　grandfather　is　very　anxious　you　should　accept　Mr。　Ellsworth。〃

〃I　know　it；〃　said　Elinor；　〃he　has　told　me　so　himself。〃

〃He　is　anxious；　dear；　because　from　what　he　knows　of　Mr。　Ellsworth　and　yourself；　he　is　convinced　you　would　eventually　be　happy；　he　fears　you　hesitate　from　some　feeling　of　girlish　romance。　Still；　we　have　neither　of　us　any　wish　to　urge　you　too　far。　Appeal　to　your　own　good；　common　sense；　that　is　all　that　can　be　desired；　do　not　be　romantic；　dear；　for　the　first　time　in　your　life；〃　continued　her　a