Home > Authors Index > Anthony Trollope > Vicar of Bullhampton > This page
The Vicar of Bullhampton, a novel by Anthony Trollope |
||
Chapter 71. The End Of Mary Lowther's Story |
||
< Previous |
Table of content |
Next > |
________________________________________________
_ CHAPTER LXXI. THE END OF MARY LOWTHER'S STORY Sir Gregory Marrable's headache was not of long duration. Allusion is here made to that especial headache under the acute effects of which he had taken so very unpromising a farewell of his nephew and heir. It lasted, however, for two or three days, during which he had frequent consultations with Mrs. Brownlow, and had one conversation with Edith. He was disappointed, sorry, and sore at heart because the desire on which he had set his mind could not be fulfilled; but he was too weak to cling either to his hope or to his anger. His own son had gone from him, and this young man must be his heir and the owner of Dunripple. No doubt he might punish the young man by excluding him from any share of ownership for the present; but there would be neither comfort nor advantage in that. It is true that he might save any money that Walter would cost him, and give it to Edith,--but such a scheme of saving for such a purpose was contrary to the old man's nature. He wanted to have his heir near him at Dunripple. He hated the feeling of desolation which was presented to him by the idea of Dunripple without some young male Marrable at hand to help him. He desired, unconsciously, to fill up the void made by the death of his son with as little trouble as might be. And therefore he consulted Mrs. Brownlow. Mrs. Brownlow was clearly of opinion that he had better take his nephew, with the encumbrance of Mary Lowther, and make them both welcome to the house. "We have all heard so much good of Miss Lowther, you know," said Mrs. Brownlow, "and she is not at all the same as a stranger." "That is true," said Sir Gregory, willing to be talked over. "And then, you know, who can say whether Edith would ever have liked him or not. You never can tell what way a young woman's feelings will go." On hearing this Sir Gregory uttered some sound intended to express mildly a divergence of opinion. He did not doubt but what Edith would have been quite willing to fall in love with Walter, had all things been conformable to her doing so. Mrs. Brownlow did not notice this as she continued,--"At any rate the poor girl would suffer dreadfully now if she were allowed to think that you should be divided from your nephew by your regard for her. Indeed, she could hardly stay at Dunripple if that were so." Mrs. Brownlow in a mild way suggested that nothing should be said to Edith, and Sir Gregory gave half a promise that he would be silent. But it was against his nature not to speak. When the moment came the temptation to say something that could be easily said, and which would produce some mild excitement, was always too strong for him. "My dear," he said, one evening, when Edith was hovering round his chair, "you remember what I once said to you about your cousin Walter?" "About Captain Marrable, uncle?" "Well,--he is just the same as a cousin;--it turns out that he is engaged to marry another cousin,--Mary Lowther." "She is his real cousin, Uncle Gregory." "I never saw the young lady,--that I know of." "Nor have I,--but I've heard so much about her! And everybody says she is nice. I hope they'll come and live here." "I don't know yet, my dear." "He told me all about it when he was here." "Told you he was going to be married?" "No, uncle, he did not tell me that exactly;--but he said that--that--. He told me how much he loved Mary Lowther, and a great deal about her, and I felt sure it would come so." "Then you are aware that what I had hinted about you and Walter--" "Don't talk about that, Uncle Gregory. I knew that it was ever so unlikely, and I didn't think about it. You are so good to me that of course I couldn't say anything. But you may be sure he is ever so much in love with Miss Lowther; and I do hope we shall be so fond of her!" Sir Gregory was pacified and his headache for the time was cured. He had had his little scheme, and it had failed. Edith was very good, and she should still be his pet and his favourite,--but Walter Marrable should be told that he might marry and bring his bride to Dunripple, and that if he would sell out of his regiment, the family lawyer should be instructed to make such arrangements for him as would have been made had he actually been a son. There would be some little difficulty about the colonel's rights; but the colonel had already seized upon so much that it could not but be easy to deal with him. On the next morning the letter was written to Walter by Mrs. Brownlow herself. About a week after this Mary Lowther, who was waiting at Loring with an outward show of patience, but with much inward anxiety for further tidings from her lover, received two letters, one from Walter, and the other from her friend, Janet Fenwick. The reader shall see those, and the replies which Mary made to them, and then our whole story will have been told as far as the loves, and hopes, and cares, and troubles of Mary Lowther are concerned.
DEAREST MARY, I write a line just because I said I would. Frank went If you have anything to tell me of your happiness, I shall Your most affectionate friend, JANET FENWICK. I must tell you the fate of the chapel. They are already And this was the other letter.
DEAREST LOVE, I hope this will be one of the last letters I shall write I have had a long letter from Mrs. Brownlow; and I ran My own, own, Mary, write me a line instantly to say that Yours always, with all my heart, W. M. It was of course necessary that Mary should consult with her aunt before she answered the second letter. Of that which she received from Mrs. Fenwick she determined to say nothing. Why should she ever mention to her aunt again a name so painful to her as that of Mr. Gilmore? The thinking of him could not be avoided. In this, the great struggle of her life, she had endeavoured to do right, and yet she could not acquit herself of evil. But the pain, though it existed, might at least be kept out of sight. "And so you are to go and live at Dunripple at once," said Miss Marrable. "I suppose we shall. "Ah, well! It's all right, I'm sure. Of course there is not a word to be said against it. I hope Sir Gregory won't die before the Colonel. That's all." "The Colonel is his father, you know." "I hope there may not come to be trouble about it, that's all. I shall be very lonely, but of course I had to expect that." "You'll come to us, Aunt Sarah? You'll be as much there as here." "Thank you, dear. I don't quite know about that. Sir Gregory is all very well; but one does like one's own house." From all which Mary understood that her dear aunt still wished that she might have had her own way in disposing of her niece's hand,--as her dear friends at Bullhampton had wished to have theirs. The following were the answers from Mary to the two letters given above;--
DEAR JANET, I am very, very, very sorry. I do not know what more I can I have much to tell you of my own happiness,--though, in Your most affectionate friend, MARY LOWTHER. The other letter, as to which Mary had declared that she had not as yet made up her own mind when she wrote to Mrs. Fenwick, was more difficult in composition.
DEAREST WALTER, So it is all settled, and I am to be a deputy Squiress! I As to that other matter, I hardly know what answer to make God bless you, my own one, Yours always and always, M. L. In real truth, I will do whatever you bid me. Of course, after that, the marriage was not very long postponed. Walter Marrable allowed that some grace should be given for sentiment, and some also for stitching, but as to neither did he feel that any long delay was needed. A week for sentiment, and two more for the preparation of bridal adornments, he thought would be sufficient. There was a compromise at last, as is usual in such cases, and the marriage took place about the middle of October. No doubt, at that time of year they went to Italy,--but of that the present narrator is not able to speak with any certainty. This, however, is certain,--that if they did travel abroad, Mary Marrable travelled in daily fear lest her unlucky fate should bring her face to face with Mr. Gilmore. Wherever they went, their tour, in accordance with a contract made by the baronet, was terminated within two months. For on Christmas Day Mrs. Walter Marrable was to take her place as mistress of the house at the dinner table. The reader may, perhaps, desire to know whether things were made altogether smooth with the Colonel. On this matter Messrs. Block and Curling, the family lawyers, encountered very much trouble indeed. The Colonel, when application was made to him, was as sweet as honey. He would do anything for the interests of his dearest son. There did not breathe a father on earth who cared less for himself or his own position. But still he must live. He submitted to Messrs. Block and Curling whether it was not necessary that he should live. Messrs. Block and Curling explained to him very clearly that his brother, the baronet, had nothing to do with his living or dying,--and that towards his living he had already robbed his son of a large property. At last, however, he would not make over his life interest in the property, as it would come to him in the event of his brother dying before him, except on payment of an annuity on and from that date of L200 a year. He began by asking L500, and was then told that the Captain would run the chance and would sue his father for the L20,000 in the event of Sir Gregory dying before the Colonel. Now the narrator will bid adieu to Mary Lowther, to Loring, and to Dunripple. The conduct of his heroine, as depicted in these pages, will, he fears, meet with the disapprobation of many close and good judges of female character. He has endeavoured to describe a young woman, prompted in all her doings by a conscience wide awake, guided by principle, willing, if need be, to sacrifice herself, struggling always to keep herself from doing wrong, but yet causing infinite grief to others, and nearly bringing herself to utter shipwreck, because, for a while, she allowed herself to believe that it would be right for her to marry a man whom she did not love. _ |