Volume I Part 41 (1/2)
”And why not say anything to his mother?” says I, bouncing into the room. ”Am I n.o.body in the family?”
”Bedad you are!” said K. I., with a heavy sigh.
”Haven't I an opinion of my own, eh?”
”That you have!” said he.
”And don't I stand to it, too!--eh, Kenny James?”
”Your worst enemy couldn't deny it!” said he, shaking his head.
”Then what's all this about?” said I, s.n.a.t.c.hing the letter out of his hands. But though I tried with my double eyegla.s.s, Molly, it was no use, for the writing was in a German hand, not to say anything of the language.
”Well, ma'am,” said K. I., with a grin, ”I hope the contents are pleasing to you?” And before I could fly out at him, James broke in: ”It's a proposal for Mary Anne, mother. The young Baron that we met at Bonn makes her an offer of his hand and fortune, and invites us all to his castle in the Black Forest as a preliminary step.”
”Isn't that to your taste, Mrs. D.?” said K. I., with another grin.
”High connection--n.o.bility--great family,--eh?”
”I don't think,” said I, ”that, considering the step I took myself in life, anybody can reproach me with prejudices of that kind.” The step I took! Molly, I said the words with a sneer that made him purple.
”What's his fortune, James?” said I.
”Heaven knows! but he must have a stunning income. This Castle of Wolfenfels is in all the print-shops of the town. It's a thing as large as Windsor, and surrounded by miles of forest.”
”My poor child,” said I, ”I always knew where you 'd be at last; and it's only two nights ago I had a dream of taking grease out of my yellow satin. I thought I was rubbing and scrubbing at it with all my might.”
”And what did that portend, ma'am?” said K. I., with his usual sneer.
”Can't you guess?” said I. ”Might n't it mean an effort to get rid of the stain of a low connection?” Was n't that a home-thrust, Molly?
Faith, he felt it so!
”Mrs. D.,” said he, gravely, and as if after profound thought, ”this is a question of our child's happiness for life-long, and if we are to discuss it at all, let it be without any admixture of attack or recrimination.”
”Who began it?” said I.
”You did, my dear,” said he.
”I did n't,” said I; ”and I 'm not 'your dear.' Oh, you needn't sigh that way; your case isn't half so bad as you think it, but, like all men, you fancy yourself cruelly treated whenever the slightest bar is placed to your bad pa.s.sions. You argue as if wickedness was good for your const.i.tution.”
”Have you done?” said he.
”Not yet,” said I, taking a chair in front of him.
”When you have, then,” said he, ”call me, for I 'll go out and sit on the stairs.” But I put my back to the door, Molly, so that he had nothing for it but to resume his seat. ”Let us move the order of the day, Mrs. D.,” said he,--”this business of Mary Anne. My opinion of it is told in few words. These mixed marriages seldom succeed. Even with long previous intimacy, suitable fortune, and equality of station, there is that in a difference of nationality that opens a hundred discrepancies in taste, feeling--”
”Bother!” said I, ”we have just as much when we come from the same stock.”
”Sometimes,” said he, sighing.
”Here's what he says, mother,” said James, and read out the letter, which I am bound to say, Molly, was a curiosity in its way; for though it had such a strange look, it turned out to be in English, or at least what the Baron thought was such. Happily there was no mistaking the meaning; and as I said to K. I., ”At least there 's one thing in the Baron's favor,--there's neither deceit nor subterfuge about him. He makes his proposal like a man!” And let me tell you, Molly, we live in an age when even that same is a virtue; for really, with the liberties that's allowed, and the way girls goes on, there 's no saying what intentions men have at all!