Part 34 (1/2)
CHAPTER XXVI.
WEDDED.
After all the commotion, the wedding was a very quiet one.
Adele left the house early one bright summer morning.
The sun was rising, illuminating the sky with all its various colours; the lark was soaring towards heaven's gates; the mowers could already be heard sharpening their scythes in the hay fields, and Mary and Louisa, the tenant's daughters, were busily engaged milking their father's cows.
A carriage, drawn by two grey horses, carried the heiress of ”Les Marches” to be married to Frank Mathers.
The beautifying properties of love shone on the bride's and bridegroom's countenances as they stepped out of the church of St.
In both their souls was a paradise.
From time to time, Mrs. Mathers a.s.sumed a thoughtful expression.
”I cannot help thinking of my father,” she said, as the carriage-wheels rattled over the road near ”Les Gravees.”
”Let not this mar your happiness,” he answered joyfully, ”perhaps he will relent when he sees that it is of no use grumbling.”
Adele smiled, for, in spite of everything, she would be happy. ”I _am_ joyful,” she said, ”but as for his pardoning me, well--you do not know him as well as I do.”
The next day while Mr. and Mrs. Mathers were enjoying a snug little _tete-a-tete_, the postman brought them a letter. It was from Mr.
Rougeant.
”I told you he would be glad to renew his acquaintance,” said Frank, as soon as he saw the signature.
”What's this?” he said. ”A cheque, Adele; a cheque for one hundred pounds! It's our wedding present, I suppose; let me read the letter:”
”To my Daughter,--I have heard that you have been married. You think that I will bend. You are mistaken. Moreover, as I warned you before you took that rash step that I would take care you would not inherit a single penny of mine; I send you this cheque. It is the last money which you will ever receive from me.
”ALFRED ROUGEANT.”
Frank's face was a blank. ”Fancy to come and tell you that you took a rash step,” he said.
”Did not I tell you that he was stubborn?” said his wife.
”He says that he will not bend,” continued Frank, perusing the letter for a second time. ”My father-in-law, you will probably break, then. Those one hundred pounds are welcome all the same.”
”I was thinking of sending them back,” said Mrs. Mathers, ”but, perhaps, we had better keep them; father would only be too glad to have them back. I cannot conceive how he mustered sufficient resolution to part with his G.o.d. He must have made a supreme effort.”
Said Frank: ”To pocket both our pride and the cheque, is, I think, the best course which we can pursue. We must, however, acknowledge his kind remittance and thank him for it. What do you think of inviting him to tea some afternoon?”
”You are joking.”
”As far as regards the invitation, yes; but as for acknowledging receipt of the cheque, no. I leave you to decide whether you shall do so. Of course, I am not supposed to have anything to do in the matter.”
”Since you leave it to me, go and open the lights of your greenhouses, the sun is getting warm. While you are absent, I shall write an answer. I cannot do it while you are here; I want to be very serious.”