"It is something more than that,"said the bachelor quickly,feeling that the moment had come."Miss Frost --Mabel --I have learned to love you.I place my hand and fortune at your feet.""You are very kind,Mr.Chester,and I am deeply indebted to you for the compliment you have paid me;but I cannot marry without love,and I do not love you.""It will come in time,"urged Mr.Chester."All I ask is that you marry me,and I will take the risk of that.""But I cannot,"said Mabel."We should find too late that we had made a mistake."In spite of his love,Randolph Chester felt a little irritated at Mabel's indifference to her own interests.
"I am afraid,Miss Frost,"he said,you don't understand how much I offer you.I possess independent means.I can release you from the slavery of the schoolroom,and provide for you a life of ease.We will live in the city during the greater part of the year,and in the summer come to Granville,or any other place you would prefer.It is not an unpleasant life I offer you.""I don't think we take the same view of marriage,Mr.Chester,"said Mabel.
"I should not be willing to marry in order to live at ease,or to escape the `slavery of the schoolroom,'which I have found pleasant.I thank you for the compliment you have paid me,but it is impossible."She spoke decisively,and Mr.Chester could not escape the conviction that his answer was final.He was not overwhelmed with grief,but he was bitterly angry.
"Of course you can do as you please,Miss Frost,"he said sharply.
"I hope you won't find out your mistake when it is too late.If you think of marrying that artist fellow,Thorpe,I may as well tell you that he can hardly support himself,much less a wife."This was more than Mabel could bear.She rose to her feet,and her eyes flashed fire.
"You have no right to say this,"she exclaimed."Mr.Thorpe has never spoken to me of love.As for his circumstances,I have never considered them.I only know that he is a gentleman."She swept out of the room indignantly,leaving Mr.Chester rather bewildered.He took his hat and left the house,sorely disappointed,and still more angry.His vanity had received a severe wound,which would take a longer time to heal than his heart,which had not been so seriously affected.
As he walked towards the hotel he felt very bitter towards Mabel,and scowled fiercely at Allan Thorpe,whom he happened to meet on the way,though,as it was dark,the artist was happily unconscious of it.He thirsted for revenge.He wished to show Mabel that he was not inconsolable.Unhappily for the bachelor,he was in this mood when he reached the hotel and met Miss Clementina Raymond.
He did not care a particle for her,but spite against Miss Frost hurried him on to the avowal of a passion that he did not feel.His offer was rather a cool,business-like proposal than an impulsive declaration of affection.But Clementina made up for his lack of sentiment by a bashful confusion,which was very well assumed.
"I am so surprised,and so embarrassed,Mr.Chester,"she said.
"How could I dream that you were kind enough to regard me with such sentiments?I ought,perhaps,to consult mamma.""If you have any doubt about your answer,"said Mr.Chester abruptly,already half regretting his precipitancy,"say so without hesitation."Evidently the delay would be dangerous,and Clementina decided to settle the matter at once.
"No,"she said,"I will not consult mamma.I know her high opinion of you,dear Mr.Chester --let me say Randolph.If you care for this little hand,it is yours,"and she timidly laid a large and well developed palm in his.She was rather disappointed that he did not press it to his lips.
In all the novels she had taken from the Brooklyn Mercantile Library,that was what enraptured lovers always did when accepted.Mr.Chester just pressed the hand slightly,and,rising,said in a business-like way;"Very well,Miss Raymond,we will consider the matter settled.I will leave you now,as you will probably wish to tell your mother."This was the way in which Clementina told her mother the news:"Mamma,that old goose has proposed,and I have accepted him.""What old goose?"
"Randolph Chester,of course.He's as old as the hills,but he's got money.""And you are nearly twenty five,my love.""Oh,bother,mamma!What's the use of mentioning my age?Somebody might be within hearing.Remember,if he asks how old I am,you are not to answer so impertinent a question.""Very well,Clementina.Of course,my child,our interests are the same.Iam really glad you will have a husband of means.It has been very hard to keep up a genteel appearance on our limited income,and it will be a relief to have some one to provide.""You are right,mother.Of course I wouldn't think of marrying the old mummy if he hadn't plenty of money.He thinks we are rich;so you must be careful not to drop any hint of our real situation until after we are married.
I wonder if I can't induce him to take me to Europe for our wedding tour.""That would be a very pleasant arrangement,Clementina.I always wanted to go to Europe.""Of course you couldn't go,mamma,"said the selfish daughter.
"I am sure Mr.Chester wouldn't agree to it.I may find it very hard to induce him to take me.""I should be very lonely if you left me at home,"said the disappointed mother.
"I should write you often.That would do almost,as well."Mrs.
Raymond did not think so,but she knew her daughter's hard,ingrained selfishness too well to press the matter.She received Mr.Chester on the footing of a son-in-law most graciously,though it did occur to her that it would have been better if she could have secured him as a husband instead of Clementina;then she could have made the European tour.
It may be as well,however,to say here that neither to mother nor daughter were revealed the scenic charms of Europe.When Randolph Chester discovered that he had married a genteel pauper he was deeply incensed,and was in no mood to grant favors to the wife who had deceived him.He married in haste,to repent at leisure.
