Glenmurray thought otherwise: however, he bowed and was silent; and Adeline declared that, to put an end to all doubt on the subject, she would instantly go in search of Mrs Mowbray and propose the question to her: and Glenmurray, feeling himself more weak and indisposed than he chose to own to her, allowed her, though reluctantly, to depart. CHAPTER VII Mrs Mowbray was but just returned from her charitable visit when Adeline entered the room. 'And pray, Miss Mowbray, where have you been?' she exclaimed, seeing Adeline with her hat and cloak on. 'I have been visiting poor Mr Glenmurray,' she replied. 'Indeed!' cried Mrs Mowbray: 'and without my leave! and pray who went with you?' 'Nobody, ma'am.' 'Nobody!--What! visit a man alone at his lodgings, after the education which you have received!' 'Indeed, madam,' replied Adeline meekly, 'my education never taught me that such conduct was improper; nor, as you did the same this afternoon, could I have dared to think it so.' 'You are mistaken, Miss Mowbray,' replied her mother: 'I did not do the same; for the terms which I am upon with Sir Patrick made my visiting him no impropriety at all.' 'If you think I have acted wrong,' replied Adeline timidly, 'no doubt I have done so; though you were quite right in visiting Sir Patrick, as the respectability of your age and character, and Sir Patrick's youth, warranted the propriety of the visit:--but, surely the terms which I am upon with Mr Glenmurray--' 'The terms which you are upon with Mr Glenmurray! and my age and character! what can you mean?' angrily exclaimed Mrs Mowbray. 'I hope, my dear mother,' said Adeline tenderly, 'that you had long ere this guessed the attachment which subsists between Mr Glenmurray and me;--an attachment cherished by your high opinion of him and his writings; but which respect has till now made me hesitate to mention to you.' 'Would to heaven!' replied Mrs Mowbray, 'that respect had made you for ever silent on the subject! Do you suppose that I would marry my daughter to a man of small fortune,--but more especially to one who, as Sir Patrick informs me, is shunned for his principles and profligacy by all the world?' 'To what Sir Patrick says of Mr Glenmurray I pay no attention,' answered Adeline; 'nor are you, my dear mother, capable, I am sure, of being influenced by the prejudices of the world.--But you are quite mistaken in supposing me so lost to consistency, and so regardless of your liberal opinions and the books which we have studied, as to think of _marrying_ Mr Glenmurray.' 'Grant me patience!' cried Mrs Mowbray; 'why, to be sure you do not think of living with him _without_ being married?' 'Certainly, madam; that you may have the pleasure of beholding one union founded on rational grounds and cemented by rational ties.' 'How!' cried Mrs Mowbray, turning pale. 'I!--I have pleasure in seeing my daughter a kept mistress!--You are mad, quite mad.--_I_ approve such unhallowed connexions!'