The Manoeuvring Mother (Vol. 1-3). Lady Charlotte Campbell Bury
about Isabel, therefore, her admirers could not interest me. I was sure she would only attract odd people, and you see I was correct."
CHAPTER V.
Sir John Wetheral's conference with Julia was of long duration, for he found her prepared with a hundred arguments, which bore down every objection: it was Samson stoning the Philistine, and every blow told upon her antagonist. It was in vain he urged Julia to pause ere she committed herself, and became the wife of a sickly husband.
"My child, consider your own health, and the health of the unborn: beware of undertaking the situation of nurse at your age, and subjecting yourself to the irritable chidings of a man weighed down with disease, and prostrated in mind by its effects."
"My dear papa, that is one material reason for my acceptance; I am very much interested in poor Lord Ennismore's sufferings, and you would not wish me to desert an unfortunate man because Providence has afflicted him."
"You cannot be aware of its results, Julia."
"Oh! papa, I am perfectly aware of all consequences, and fully prepared to meet them. Lord Ennismore is ill—I will nurse him. He is irritable, I know, but I will bear with him."
"I will not press his health, Julia, as the most objectionable point; there are still more powerful ones. I consider Lord Ennismore's intellect enfeebled by disease, and his temper affected too strongly for your happiness."
"I do not consider his intellects below par, papa: Tom Pynsent is ten times louder, and less agreeable than Lord Ennismore: there must be some disagreeables in every body."
"Lord Ennismore's mind is not a gentlemanly mind, Julia; I have observed his actions and sentiments. He is exclusively selfish: a selfish man can never be an agreeable companion for a young wife."
"Time will improve him in that respect, papa. I do not see how Lord Ennismore's selfish feelings can interfere with me; his fortune will command any wishes he may form; I shall not oppose them. As to his temper, I shall neither see nor hear its display; he must be selfish and violent with his servants."
"And are these the notions you seriously entertain with respect to matrimony, Julia?"
"My notions, papa, are really serious, and I know I shall find them serviceable. I have quite made up my mind to marry Lord Ennismore, and say now, papa, you do not object. Mamma says you will not and cannot object to a match so splendid; now, papa, say yes, and don't fidget about ill-health and temper."
Julia took her father's hand, and kissed it with a gaiety altogether astonishing. Sir John smiled at the action, and involuntarily drew her towards him. Julia took advantage of the movement.
"That's my dear, good papa, I knew you meant to give me pleasure: silence is more expressive than words, and I am Lady Ennismore in prospect, am I not?"
"I offer you counsel, my dear girl," replied her father, gently and gravely, "I can do no more; the world may suppose you high and happy, but, mark me, Julia, you will be the veriest wretch on earth if you marry Ennismore, and, at that moment, my advice will be useless, and my presence impossible—a husband commands you, and supersedes your father. Listen to me, Julia: Ennismore is governed by his imperious and overbearing mother, whose wishes are masked by apparent mildness and great fascination of manner."
"A mother's influence must give way to that of a wife," exclaimed Julia, earnestly.
"Lady Ennismore's influence will give way to no one, and you must succumb to its power if you hope for peace. Her stronghold is the very selfishness she has fostered in her son: all his intentions, every word and action of his, have reference to his mother, who has so long ministered to his besetting sin."
"I flatter myself I shall be able to compete with my husband's mother," said Julia, in a tone slightly tinged with contempt. "I should consider myself strangely altered, if my husband turned from me, to consult his mother. No, papa, I have no fear of that insult—Ennismore has too much affection for me."
"Ennismore is not capable of affection, Julia."
"Well, papa, you are saying the most unkind things possible of Lord Ennismore, and, indeed, excuse me if I say you are quite wrong in accusing him of want of affection." A burst of tears followed poor Julia's hurried speech.
Sir John again repeated his strong objections to the match, and endeavoured to point out the fallacy of attempting to win Lord Ennismore's confidence—the confidence of a man whose mind nearly approached to imbecility, but who was linked to his mother by the strong force of long habit; and her control over his actions, fixed by constant and unceasing attention to his selfish wants.
In vain he placed before his daughter's mind the misery she must endure when the veil should be torn from her eyes, and she woke to the certainty of being united for life to a man she despised—a man inferior to herself in head and heart, yet possessing neither respect nor affection for the woman he had married. In vain he painted her longing for the home she had quitted, when all its pleasures, its tranquillity, would be of no avail; when she could never more claim or enjoy them—all was in vain! Julia could not, would not, admit a doubt of her power over Ennismore's heart, and she disclaimed all observations relative to the weakness of his capacity.
"It was easy enough," she said, "to fix incapacity upon a young man whom Providence had afflicted with illness, but the proof was insufficient. She would rather say Providence had raised her up to watch over Lord Ennismore, and smooth the rough path he was destined to tread: certainly every disagreeable remark that could be devised was brought up in array before her, yet she could not feel alarmed: she was prepared to meet the trials which her mamma told her belonged to matrimony, especially where poverty presided: poverty would not be the case in this instance, and she must be allowed to say she could not resign Lord Ennismore upon what had been alleged against him. If her papa positively forbade the match, she would submit, but nothing short of his decided prohibition would induce her to renounce a man she liked and approved.
"I would rather follow you to the grave, Julia, than see you the wife of Ennismore!" exclaimed her father.
"The grave, then, papa, will be my portion, if you are determined to be unkind to poor Lord Ennismore, whom you invited yourself to Wetheral."
The father was moved: true, his own hand had penned the invitation, and it availed nothing that such a step had been taken against his own better judgment. He had brought the evil to his own door, and the consequence was falling upon him even now. Julia perceived her advantage, and again, in gentle entreaty, besought his consent to her marriage. Self-accusation softened her father's heart, as he viewed Julia pleading for a destiny his own error had prepared, and she wrung from his lips a slow and reluctant assent.
"You have forced me, Julia, to say words which will seal both our misery," he said, as Julia clung fondly round him, "and you will one day upbraid me for my weakness."
"Never, dear papa, never! you cannot know Lord Ennismore as I know him; and, in days to come, you will smile at the list of grievances you brought against that poor, suffering, innocent creature."
"I have done that which I shall repent of for ever, Julia; but I yet tell you my judgment has yielded to affection. I warn you to pause ere you marry a man your father disapproves—before you commit your peace of mind into the hands of a selfish-hearted husband—before you quit for ever the home which shelters you! You have drawn from me an unwilling consent, because I cannot give pain—because I have myself drawn this blank, for I allowed the intimacy; but, Julia, I have said, and I say again, I do not like the man."
"You have said every thing, papa, to dissuade me, and upon me be the misery you suggest, and which I cannot believe will arise from my marriage with Lord Ennismore. Think no more of me, papa, and do not reproach yourself for having made me happy. A few months will prove the mistake of your statements, and you will rejoice in having given me to Ennismore: indeed, papa, you will!" and Julia stroked his hand with a smile so bright, and eyes sparkling with