Said John to his sister after Clement had gone, "I am not quite sure, my dear, that we are justified in giving our sanction to Hermy's engagement without having first obtained Mr. Hodgson's leave to do so. There may be something in the background of which you and I know nothing, to render such an engagement objectionable to Hermy's unknown relatives; for, of course, the dear girl must have relatives somewhere. I am afraid we have acted rather precipitately in the matter, and that we ought first to have taken Mr. Hodgson's opinion on the occasion of his next visit." "You seem to forget one little fact, my dear, which is, that you could not very well help yourself," replied his sister, dryly. "You, at least, have no legal control over Hermy, and I question very much whether Mr. Hodgson has. I consider that it was very nice on her part to pay you the compliment, through her lover, of asking your consent to an arrangement which it was not in your power to forbid, or interfere with in any way." This was a way of looking at the affair such as had never struck John, but he could not help acknowledging that there was a certain amount of force in it. "For all that," he said, dubiously, "I should have been better satisfied if Mr. Hodgson had known of and approved the engagement." "When you adopted Hermia, it was understood, although there was no specific arrangement to that effect, that she should become to you the same as if she were, your own child. We wanted no money with her, indeed we would not accept of any, and although Mr. Hodgson has insisted on forwarding a cheque every quarter, we know how each has been disposed of as it came to hand. I fail to see, therefore, what claim Mr. Hodgson, or those who are at his back, have upon the girl's future, or by what right they could, assuming them to be so disposed, attempt to exercise any control over her. If she needed to be controlled by anyone, which, thank heaven, she doesn't, you are the only person, if there is such a thing as moral law, who has any right to exercise authority over her; and Hermia herself would be the first to declare that she would recognize no one's wishes, either in this or other matters, than yours." It was only on very rare occasions that Aunt Charlotte launched out in this style, but whenever she did, John was wise enough to know that his only plan was to strike his colors at once. He did so on the present occasion. "In any case," he said, "there can be no possible harm in my mentioning to Mr. Hodgson, when I see him next, the fact of Hermia's engagement;" and with that he made haste to change the subject. CHAPTER XXI. MILDEW AND DECAY.