Earnest Christian and good woman that
you are, you have a worldly and conventional vein in your nature,
which makes you reverence position, wealth and family to a marked
degree. You would, I know, like to see me unite myself with some
royal family, were that possible; failing in that, you would choose
the daughter of some great and aristocratic house to be my bride.
Ah, well, dear mother, you will, I know, concede that marriage
without love is unholy. I am not able to force myself to love some
great lady, even supposing I could win her if I did love her."
"But you might keep yourself from forming a foolish and unworthy
attachment," Mrs Stuart interrupted. "With your will-power, your
brain, your reasoning faculties, I see no necessity for your allowing
a pretty face to run away with your heart. Nothing could be more
unsuitable, more shocking, more dreadful, than to have you make that
girl your wife, Arthur."
Mrs Stuart's voice rose as she spoke, from a quiet reasoning tone to
a high, excited wail. She had not meant to say so much. She had
intended merely to appeal to her son's affection for her, without
making any unpleasant disclosures regarding Joy's mother; she thought
merely to win a promise from him that he would not compromise himself
at present with the girl, through an excess of sympathy.
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