Orley Farm

in a frame of mind somewhat softer than was usual with him, to tell all his troubles to his mother. It sounds as though it were lack-a-daisical⁠—such a resolve as this on the part of a dashing young man, who had been given to the pursuit of rats, and was now a leader among the sons of Nimrod in the pursuit of foxes. Young men of the present day, when got up for the eyes of the world, look and talk as though they could never tell their mothers anything⁠—as though they were harder than flint, and as little in want of a woman’s counsel and a woman’s help as a colonel of horse on the morning of a battle. But the rigid virility of his outward accoutrements does in no way alter the man of flesh and blood who wears them; the young hero, so stern to the eye, is, I believe, as often tempted by stress of sentiment to lay bare the sorrow of his heart as is his sister. On this occasion Peregrine said to himself that he would lay bare the sorrow of his heart. He would find out what others thought of that marriage which he had proposed to himself; and then, if his mother encouraged him, and his grandfather approved, he would make another attack, beginning on the side of the judge, or perhaps on that of Lady Staveley.

But he found that others, as well as he, were labouring under a stress of sentiment; and when about to tell his own tale, he had learned that a tale was to be told to him. He had dined with Lady Mason, his mother, and his grandfather, and the dinner had been very silent. Three of the party were in love, and the fourth was burdened with the telling of the tale. The baronet himself said nothing on the subject as he and his grandson sat over their wine; but later in the evening Peregrine was summoned to his mother’s room, and she, with considerable hesitation and much diffidence, informed him of the coming nuptials.

“Marry Lady Mason!” he had said.

“Yes, Peregrine. Why should he not do so if they both wish it?”

Peregrine thought that there were many causes and impediments sufficiently just why no such marriage should take place, but he had not his arguments ready at his fingers’ ends. He was so stunned by the intelligence that he could say but little about it on that occasion. By the few words that he did say, and by the darkness of his countenance, he showed plainly enough that he disapproved. And then his mother said all that she could in the baronet’s favour, pointing out that in a pecuniary way Peregrine would receive benefit rather than injury.

“I’m not thinking of the money, mother.”

“No, my dear; but it is right that I should tell you how considerate your grandfather is.”

“All the same, I wish he would not marry this woman.”

“Woman, Peregrine! You should not speak in that way of a friend whom I dearly love.”

“She is a woman all the same.” And then he sat sulkily looking at the fire. His own stress of sentiment did not admit of free discussion at the present moment, and was necessarily postponed. On that other affair he was told that his grandfather would be glad to see him on the following morning; and then he left his mother.

“Your grandfather, Peregrine, asked for my assent,” said Mrs. Orme; “and I thought it right to give it.” This she said to make him understand that it was no longer in her power to oppose the match. And she was thoroughly glad that this was so, for she would have lacked the courage to oppose Sir Peregrine in anything.

On the next morning Peregrine saw his grandfather before breakfast. His mother came to his room door while he was dressing to whisper a word of caution to him. “Pray, be courteous to him,” she said. “Remember how good he is to you⁠—to us both! Say that you congratulate him.”

“But I don’t,” said Peregrine.

“Ah, but, Peregrine⁠—”

“I’ll tell you what I’ll do, mother. I’ll leave the house altogether and go away, if you wish it.”

“Oh, Peregrine! How can you speak in that way? But he’s waiting now. Pray, pray, be kind in your manner to him.”

He descended with the same sort of feeling which had oppressed him on his return home after his encounter with Carroty Bob in Smithfield. Since then he had been on enduring good terms with his grandfather, but now again all the discomforts of war were imminent.

“Good morning, sir,” he said, on going into his grandfather’s dressing-room.

“Good morning, Peregrine.” And then there was silence for a moment or two.

“Did you see your mother last night?”

“Yes; I did see her.”

“And she told you what it is that I propose to do?”

“Yes, sir; she told me.”

“I hope you understand, my boy, that it will not in any way affect your own interests injuriously.”

“I don’t care about that, sir⁠—one way or the other.”

“But I do, Peregrine. Having seen to that I think that I have a right to please myself in this matter.”

“Oh, yes, sir; I know you have the right.”

“Especially as I can benefit others. Are you aware that your mother has cordially given her consent to the marriage?”

“She told me that you had asked her, and that she had agreed to it. She would agree to anything.”

“Peregrine, that is not the way in which you should speak of your mother.”

And then the young man stood silent, as though there was nothing more to be said. Indeed, he had nothing more to say. He did not dare to bring forward in words all the arguments against the marriage which were now crowding themselves into his memory, but he could not induce himself to wish the old man joy, or to say any of those civil things which are customary on such occasions. The baronet sat for a while, silent also, and a cloud of