"He will be marrying soon, I dare say," suggested Mrs. Orme.
"Oh, I hope not. Do you think that early marriages are good for young men?"
"Yes, I think so. Why not?" said Mrs. Orme, thinking of her own year of married happiness. "Would you not wish to see Lucius marry?"
"I fancy not. I should be afraid lest I should become as nothing to him. And yet I would not have you think that I am selfish."
"I am sure that you are not that. I am sure that you love him better than all the world besides. I can feel what that is myself."
"But you are not alone with your boy as I am. If he were to send me from him, there would be nothing left for me in this world."
"Send you from him! Ah, because Orley Farm belongs to him. But he would not do that; I am sure he would not."
"He would do nothing unkind; but how could he help it if his wife wished it? But nevertheless I would not keep him single for that reason;—no, nor for any reason if I knew that he wished to marry. But it would be a blow to me."
"I sincerely trust that Peregrine may marry early," said Mrs. Orme, perhaps thinking that babies were preferable either to rats or foxes.
"Yes, it would be well I am sure, because you have ample means, and the house is large; and you would have his wife to love."