"Don't see any pressing reason. Toss up, I say." "You should know better than to talk like that. You Dissenters----" "No arguments, Humphrey. But all the same they must be married in church or chapel, and since there's such a division of opinion--I'm anxious to see Ned married. 'Tis more than time and certainly no fault of his that they didn't join sooner. But Cora had her own ideas and----" "Oblige me by not naming either of them. You can't expect me to be interested. Even if they were different from what they are, I should remember the cruel past too keenly to feel anything good towards either of them." "Let the past go. You're too wise a man to harbour unkind thoughts against headstrong youth. Let 'em be happy while they can. They'll have their troubles presently, like the rest of us." "They'll have what they're brewing, no doubt. Empty, heartless wretches--I will say it, feel as you may for Cora." "I hope you'll live to see her better part. She's a sensible woman and a loving one, for all you think not. At any rate, you'll come and see them married, Humphrey?" "You can ask me such a thing?" "Let bygones be bygones." "What was it you wanted to speak to me about?" "Just that--the wedding. I must make it a personal matter. I attach a good deal of importance to it. I'm very interested in the Linterns--wrapped up in them wouldn't be too strong a word for it. I'll confess to you that the mother is a good deal to me--my best friend in this world. I owe a lot of my happiness to her. She's made my life less lonely and often said the word in season. You know what a wise woman can be: you was married yourself." Humphrey did not answer and his brother spoke again. "There's only us two left now--you and me. You might pleasure me in this matter and come. Somehow it's grown to be a feeling with me that your absence will mar all." "Stuff! I've been the death's-head at too many feasts in our family. In a word, I won't do it. I won't be there. I don't approve of either of 'em, and I've not interest enough in 'em now to take me across the road to see them." "If you'll come, the marriage shall be in church. Priscilla will agree if I press it. I can't offer more than that." "I won't come, so leave it." Nathan's high spirits sank for a little while; then Princetown was reached and he left his brother and strove to put this pain from him for the present, as he had banished all other sources of tribulation. He was soon shaking hands with his acquaintance and making merry among many friends. But Humphrey proceeded to the place where his ponies were stalled, and immediately began to transact business with those who were waiting for him. CHAPTER VIII