‘Then you think he would never allow it! You really think that such a creature as Genevieve, as perfect a lady as ever existed, must always be a victim to these hateful rules about station.’ ‘No,’ said Albinia, ‘certainly not; but if she were in the very same rank, if all else were suitable, Gilbert’s age would make the pursuit ridiculous.’ ‘Only three years younger,’ sighed Sophy. ‘But if they were the same age? Do you mean that no one ever ought to marry, if they love ever so much, where the station is different?’ ‘No, but that they must not do so lightly, but try the love first to see whether it be worth the sacrifice. If an attachment last through many years of adverse circumstances, I think the happiness of the people has been shown to depend on each other, but I don’t think it safe to disregard disparities till there has been some test that the love is the right stuff, or else they may produce ill-temper, regrets, and unhappiness, all the rest of their lives.’ ‘If Gilbert went on for years, mamma?’ ‘I did not say that, Sophy.’ ‘Suppose,’ continued the eager girl, ‘he went out to Calcutta, and worked these five years, and was made a partner. Then he would be two-and-twenty, nobody could call him too young, and he would come home, and ask papa’s consent, and you--’ ‘I _should_ call that constancy,’ said Albinia. ‘And he would take her out to Calcutta, and have no Drurys and Osborns to bother her! Oh! It would be beautiful! I would watch over her while he was gone! I’ll go and tell him!’ ‘Stop, Sophy, not from me--that would never do. I don’t think papa would think twenty-two such a great age--’ ‘But he would have loved her five years!’ said Sophy. ‘And you said yourself that would be constancy!’ ‘True, but, Sophy, I have known a youth who sailed broken-hearted, and met a lady “just in the style” of the former one, on board the steamer--’ Sophy made a gesture of impatient disdain, and repeated, ‘Do you allow me to tell Gilbert that this is the way?’ ‘Not from me. I hold out no hope. I don’t believe Genevieve cares for him, and I don’t know whether his father would consent--’ but seeing Sophy’s look of disappointment, ‘I see no harm in your suggesting it, for it is his only chance with either of them, and would be the proof that his affection was good for something.’ ‘And you think her worth it?’ ‘I think her worth anything in the world--the more for her behaviour in this matter. I only doubt if Gilbert have any conception how much she is worth.’ Away went Sophy in a glow that made her almost handsome, while Albinia, as usual, wondered at her own imprudence. At luncheon Sophy avoided her eye, and looked crestfallen, and when afterwards she gave a mute inquiring address, shook her head impatiently. It was plain that she had failed, and was too much pained and shamed by his poorness of spirit to be able as yet to speak of it.