"The wish is not at all unnatural, my dear fellow."
"The truth is, that Lord Stapledean's message to her, and his conduct about the living, has quite upset her. I cannot blame Lord Stapledean. What he did was certainly kind. But I do blame myself. I never should have accepted the living on those terms—never, never. I knew it when I did it, and I have never since ceased to repent it." And so saying he got up and walked quickly about the room. "Would you believe it now; my mother takes upon herself to tell me in what way I should read the absolution; and feels herself injured because I do not comply?"
"I can tell you but of one remedy, Arthur; but I can tell you of one."
"What remedy?"
"Take a wife to yourself; one who will not mind in what way you read the absolution to her."
"A wife!" said Wilkinson, and he uttered a long sigh as he continued his walk.
"Yes, a wife; why not? People say that a country clergyman should never be without a wife; and as for myself, I firmly think that they are right."
"Every curate is to marry, then?"
"But you are not a curate."
"I should only have the income of a curate. And where should I put a wife? The house is full of women already. Who would come to such a house as this?"