Camilla; or, A Picture of Youth — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Camilla; or, A Picture of Youth
John Stuart Mill · en
Mr. Tyrold hoped it was an entire discontinuance of all pupilage and
tutorship; and that Dr. Orkborne might henceforth be considered as a
mere family friend.
'No, no, my dear brother, no! 'tis a better thing than that, as you
shall hear. You must know I have often been concerned to think how glum
poor Clermont will look when he hears of my will in favour of Eugenia;
which was my chief reason in my own private mind, for not caring to see
him before he went abroad; but I have made myself quite easy about him
now, by resolving to set little Eugenia upon learning the classics.'
'Eugenia! and of what benefit will that prove to Clermont?'
'Why, as soon as she grows a little old, that is to say, a young woman,
I intend, with your good will and my sister's, to marry her to
Clermont.'
Mr. Tyrold smiled, but declared his entire concurrence, if the young
people, when they grew up, wished for the alliance.
'As to that,' said he, 'I mean to make sure work, by having them
educated exactly to fit one another. I shall order Clermont to think of
nothing but his studies till the proper time; and as to Eugenia, I shall
make her a wife after his own heart, by the help of this gentleman; for
I intend to bid him teach her just like a man, which, as she's so young,
may be done from the beginning, the same as if she was a boy.'
He then enumerated the advantages of this project, which would save
Clermont from all disappointment, by still making over to him his whole
fortune, with a wife ready formed into a complete scholar for him into
the bargain. It would also hinder Eugenia from being a prey to some sop
for her money, who, being no relation, could not have so good a right to
it; and it would prevent any affront to Dr. Orkborne, by keeping him a
constant tight task in hand.
Mr. Tyrold forbore to chagrin him with any strong expostulation, and he
returned, therefore, to Cleves in full glee. He repaired immediately to
the apartment of the Doctor, who, only by what was now said, was
apprized of what had passed before. Somewhat, therefore, alarmed, to
understand that the studies of Indiana were to be relinquished, he
exerted all the alacrity in his power for accepting his new little
pupil: not from any idea of preference; for he concluded that incapacity
of Indiana to be rather that of her sex than of an individual; but from
conceiving that his commodious abode at Cleves depended upon his
retaining one scholar in the family. Eugenia therefore was called, and
the lessons were begun.
The little girl, who was naturally of a thoughtful turn, and whose state
of health deprived her of most childish amusements, was well contented
with the arrangement, and soon made a progress so satisfactory to Dr.
Orkborne, that Sir Hugh, letting his mind now rest from all other
schemes, became fully and happily occupied by the prosecution of his
last suggestion.
CHAPTER VII
_Lost Labour_