The mother smiled, but his father said, “Do not forget to go to Raven Zacky, and do not engage yourself to any thing without consulting him. He knows the circumstances of every one for ten miles round; and is, in fact, a living record of mortgages. Now, God bless you! You can take your time, and stay away ten days.”
Father and son shook hands, and his mother said, “I will go a little way with you.”
The young man led his horse by the bridle, and walked by his mother’s side, silent, till they had left the court, and turned into a little side lane; then the mother said hesitatingly, “I would give you a few words of advice.”
“Yes, yes, mother, begin at once. I shall willingly listen.”
She took his hand in hers, and said, “Stand still, for I cannot talk while walking. Take care, my son, be sure that she pleases you. This is the first thing, for without love there is no happiness. I am an old woman, and may speak without reserve.”
“Yes, yes!”
“If you do not think of it with joy; if it is not to you the first gift of heaven that you may dare give her a kiss,—then it is not true love!—Stay a little longer, this is not all; there may be something concealed—believe me”—the old lady hesitated, and the color mounted in her cheeks—“look, if there is not true respect, and if you have not joy also in this—that a woman does a thing exactly so—takes a thing in her hand and lays it down exactly as she does. Observe also how she treats her inferiors.”
“I understand, mother, and take your meaning at once. Speaking will tire you. I understand; she must not be too proud, nor too familiar.”
“That, indeed; but I can understand by the expression of the mouth whether one is given to anger and scolding. Ah, if you could only see her weep with anger, or surprise her in a passion, she would betray her true disposition. The hidden temper sometimes shows itself with vultures’ claws, like the spirit of evil itself. Oh, my child, I have learnt and experienced much. I can see by the way she blows out a candle, what her temper is. She who blows it out with a puff, leaving sparks and smoke, has a hasty temper, and does things by halves. She has no true repose of disposition.”
“Ah, mother, how difficult you make it. It is, after all, and always will remain, a lottery.”