“But why, Carberry, would you take the little miss to Mrs. Gentry’s rather than to your own house? I see! You thought I would be in the way; that I would be jealous of her! Confess!” “Yes, Josy, I didn’t think anything else.” “Well, now, let me plan for you: first, I, with Esha, will call on her. Esha can easily persuade her that the best thing she can do will be to come with us to this house. We’ll have the blue room ready for her. It being between two other rooms, and having no other exit than through them, she will not have another chance to abscond. Esha would perhaps be a suitable person to keep guard. But then probably Mrs. Gentry wouldn’t part with Esha.” “Bah! Gentry will have to do as I order, or see her school broken up as an Abolition concern. Your plan strikes me favorably, Josy; but what if the girl should refuse to accompany you?” “We can have an officer close by to apply to in case of need.” “Of course! What a woman you are for plotting!” “Yes, Carberry, give me _carte blanche_ to act for you, and I’ll have her here before one o’clock. But there’s a condition, Carberry.” “Name it, Josy.” “It is, that so long as your present wife lives, you shall keep strictly aloof from the maiden, not even taking the liberty of a kiss. Don’t you see why? She has been religiously brought up. She is pure, with affections disengaged. Would it be for your future interests as a husband to undo all that has been done for her moral education? Surely no! You mean to make her your wife; and the wife of Carberry Ratcliff must be intemerate!” “Right! right! A thousand times right!” exclaimed the debauchee, his pride getting the ascendency. “For the present, then,” continued the quadroon, “you, a married man, must hardly look on her. Consent to this, and I’ll take the whole trouble of the affair off your hands. I’ll bring the girl here, and so mould her that she will be prepared to be your lawful wife as soon as decency may permit.” Ratcliff rose from the table, and paced the floor. Under Josephine’s way of presenting the subject, what had seemed rather an embarrassing job began to assume a new and attractive aspect. How well-judged the whole arrangement! The idea of elevating Clara to the exalted position of successor to the present Mrs. Ratcliff was fast becoming more and more inviting to his contemplation. Wealth in a wife would be of no account. He would have enough of his own. Family rank was desirable; but did not the girl give every sign of high blood? It would not be surprising if, in fact, she were of a stock almost equal to his own in gentility. Besides, would not he, a Ratcliff, carry, lodged in his own person, sufficient dignity of pedigree to cover the genealogical shortcomings of a wife?