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more。 I have often had my doubts。 It’s a—’
‘A bad example；’ suggested Mr Chester。 ‘It is。 No doubt it is。
Your daughter is at that age when to set before her an
encouragement for young persons to rebel against their parents on
this most important point； is particularly injudicious。 You are
quite right。 I ought to have thought of that myself； but it escaped
me； I confess—so far superior are your sex to ours； dear madam； in
point of penetration and sagacity。’
Mrs Varden looked as wise as if she had really said something
to deserve this compliment—firmly believed she had； in short—
and her faith in her own shrewdness increased considerably。
‘My dear ma’am；’ said Mr Chester； ‘you embolden me to be
plain with you。 My son and I are at variance on this point。 The
young lady and her natural guardian differ upon it； also。 And the
closing point is； that my son is bound by his duty to me； by his
honour； by every solemn tie and obligation； to marry some one
else。’
‘Engaged to marry another lady！’ quoth Mrs Varden； holding up
her hands。
‘My dear madam； brought up； educated； and trained； expressly
for that purpose。 Expressly for that purpose。—Miss Haredale； I am
told； is a very charming creature。’
‘I am her foster…mother； and should know—the best young lady
in the world；’ said Mrs Varden。
‘I have not the smallest doubt of it。 I am sure she is。 And you；
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who have stood in that tender relation towards her； are bound to
consult her happiness。 Now； can I—as I have said to Haredale；
who quite agrees—can I possibly stand by； and suffer her to throw
herself away （although she is of a Catholic family）； upon a young
fellow who； as yet； has no heart at all？ It is no imputation upon
him to say he has not； because young men who have plunged
deeply into the frivolities and conventionalities of society； very
seldom have。 Their hearts never grow； my dear ma’am； till after
thirty。 I don’t believe； no； I do not believe； that I had any heart
myself when I was Ned’s age。’
‘Oh sir；’ said Mrs Varden； ‘I think you must have had。 It’s
impossible that you； who have so much now； can ever have been
without any。’
‘I hope；’ he answered； shrugging his shoulders meekly； ‘I have a
little； I hope； a very little—Heaven knows！ But to return to Ned； I
have no doubt you thought； and therefore interfered benevolently
in his behalf； that I objected to Miss Haredale。 How very natural！
My dear madam； I object to him—to him—emphatically to Ned
himself。’
Mrs Varden was perfectly aghast at the disclosure。
‘He has； if he honourably fulfils this solemn obligation of which
I have told you—and he must be honourable； dear Mrs Varden； or
he is no son of mine—a fortune within his reach。 He is of most
expensive； ruinously expensive habits； and if； in a moment of
caprice and wilfulness； he were to marry this young lady； and so
deprive himself of the means of gratifying the tastes to which he
has been so long accustomed； he would—my dear madam； he
would break the gentle creature’s heart。 Mrs Varden； my good
lady； my dear soul； I put it to you—is such a sacrifice to be
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endured？ Is the female heart a thing to be trifled with in this way？
Ask your own； my dear madam。 Ask your own； I beseech you。’
‘Truly；’ thought Mrs Varden； ‘this gentleman is a saint。 But；’
she added aloud； and not unnaturally； ‘if you take Miss Emma’s
lover away； sir； what becomes of the poor thing’s heart then？’
‘The very point；’ said Mr Chester； not at all abashed； ‘to which I
wished to lead you。 A marriage with my son； whom I should be
compelled to disown； would be followed by years of misery； they
would be separated； my dear madam； in a twelvemonth。 To break
off this attachment； which is more fancied than real； as you and I
know very well； will cost the dear girl but a few tears； and she is
happy again。 Take the case of your own daughter； the young lady
downstairs； who is your breathing image’—Mrs Varden coughed
and simpered—‘there is a young man （I am sorry to say； a
dissolute fellow； of very indifferent character） of whom I have
heard Ned speak—Bullet was it—Pullet—Mullet—’
‘There is a young man of the name of Joseph Willet； sir；’ said
Mrs Varden； folding her hands loftily。
‘That’s he；’ cried Mr Chester。 ‘Suppose this Joseph Willet now；
were to aspire to the affections of your charming daughter； and
were to engage them。’
‘It would be like his impudence；’ interposed Mrs Varden；
bridling； ‘to dare to think of such a thing！’
‘My dear madam； that’s the whole case。 I know it would be like
his impudence。 It is like Ned’s impudence to do as he has done；
but you would not on that account； or because of a few tears from
your beautiful daughter； refrain from checking their inclinations
in their birth。 I meant to have reasoned thus with your husband
when I saw him at Mrs Rudge’s this evening—’
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‘My husband；’ said Mrs Varden； interposing with emotion；
‘would be a great deal better at home than going to Mrs Rudge’s so
often。 I don’t know what he does there。 I don’t see what occasion
he has to busy himself in her affairs at all； sir。’
‘If I don’t appear to express my concurrence in those last
sentiments of yours；’ returned Mr Chester； ‘quite so strongly as
you might desire； it is because his being there； my dear madam；
and not proving conversational； led me hither； and