“I do, indeed; but Mrs. Beaumont must speak cautiously on that subject; this is prudence, not dissimulation: for you know that my cousin Walsingham never declared his attachment to Miss Beaumont; on the contrary, he always took the most scrupulous pains to conceal it from her, because he had not fortune enough to marry, and he was too honourable to attempt, or even to wish, to engage the affections of one to whom he had no prospect of being united.” “He is a noble fellow!” exclaimed Mr. Walsingham. “There is no sacrifice of pleasure or interest he would hesitate to make to his duty. For his friends there is no exertion, no endurance, no forbearance, of which he has not shown himself capable. For his country----All I ask from Heaven for him is, opportunity to serve his country. Whether circumstances, whether success, will ever prove his merits to the world, I cannot foretell; but I shall always glory in him as my ward, my relation, my friend.” “Mrs. Beaumont speaks of him just as you do,” said Miss Walsingham. “Speaks, but not thinks,” said Mr. Walsingham. “No, no! Captain Walsingham is not the man she desires for a son-in-law. She wants to marry Amelia to Sir John Hunter.” “To Sir John Hunter!” “Yes, to Sir John Hunter, a being without literature, without morals, without even youth, to plead in his favour. He is nearly forty years old, old enough to be Amelia’s father; yet this is the man whom Mrs. Beaumont prefers for the husband of her beloved daughter, because he is heir presumptive to a great estate, and has the chance of a reversionary earldom.--And this is your modern good mother.” “Oh, no, no!” cried Miss Walsingham, “you do Mrs. Beaumont injustice; I assure you she despises Sir John Hunter as much as we do.” “Yet observe the court she has paid to the whole family of the Hunters.” “Yes, but that has been merely from regard to the late Lady Hunter, who was her particular friend.” “_Particular friend!_ a vamped-up, sentimental conversation reason.” “But I assure you,” persisted Miss Walsingham, “that I know Mrs. Beaumont’s mind better than you do, father, at least on this subject.” “You! a girl of eighteen, pretend to know a manoeuvrer of her age!” “Only let me tell you my reasons.--It was but last week that Mrs. Beaumont told me that she did not wish to encourage Sir John Hunter, and that she should be perfectly happy if she could see Amelia united to such a man as Captain Walsingham.” “Such a man as Captain Walsingham! nicely guarded expression!” “But you have not heard all yet.--Mrs. Beaumont anxiously inquired from me whether he had made any prize-money, whether there was any chance of his returning soon; and she added, with particular emphasis, ‘You don’t know how much I wish it! You don’t know what a favourite he is of mine!’” “That last, I will lay any wager,” cried Mr. Walsingham, “she said in a whisper, and in a corner.” “Yes, but she could not do otherwise, for Amelia was present. Mrs. Beaumont took me aside.”