“The simple fact is,” he continued, “that my wife, like all mothers, is jealous of anybody receiving the attention which she thinks her daughter has a right to before all other young ladies. If it came to the point, you would find her as averse to your marriage with Conny as I am; but as it hasn’t come to the point, she frets--the silly woman!--over the idea of Theresa getting the admiration which she claims for her girl.” “She needn’t,” said I. “However, you’ll join me presently.” And I went out. Conny was on the lawn, but my aunt was in the drawing-room. “Well, aunt,” I exclaimed, bluntly, taking a seat beside her, “what do you think of your husband’s scheme?” “It is all fudge and nonsense,” she answered. “He was angry with me last night after you left, for having concealed my suspicions from him that you were fond of Conny. But, as I told him, I choose to have my secrets as well as he.” “I am not going to marry Theresa,” I said. “I am not going down to a man’s house to make love to his daughter, and ask her to be my wife, as if I were a curiosity-dealer taking a journey in order to drive a bargain for a piece of china. My uncle knows that I am in love with Conny, and, although he pooh-poohs me, never will he get me to alter my sentiments, and forsake her for a woman who shoots pistols!” “Thomas knows _my_ sentiments about his scheme,” said my aunt, with a toss of her head. “I am only surprised that two brothers should put their noses together and discuss marriage as if it were a matter of buying and selling. Were Richard to ask my opinion--though he never would, for he has a most degraded notion of women’s minds--I shouldn’t scruple to tell him that he was acting in a most unfatherly manner in making his fortune the chief attraction of his daughter, instead of insisting that she should be loved only for herself.” “My sentiments to a t!” I cried, grasping her hand, “and I honour you for having the courage to express them.” “But it is too true,” she continued, “that men who have been mixed up all their lives in business matters become at last unable to take any but a mercenary view of life.” “Yes, and the worst is, that commercial views of things are always so disagreeable to one’s wishes. Mustn’t this be an abominable world where you are not allowed to put one leg before the other, unless you can pull out your purse, and show you have enough in it to pay for the privilege of walking!” “Odious!”