“No, no, Mr. M’Kinlay, that is not enough! We women are very practical, if we are not very logical; we ask for success from those who aspire to our good esteem.”
“To meet a difficulty, the first thing is to see where is the hitch!” said he, thoughtfully.
“I don’t believe that I apprehend you here. What is it that you mean?”
“I mean, Miss Courtenay, that it is only by learning very accurately what are the reasons for this girl’s removal—what urgent necessity, in fact, requires it—that I shall be likely to hit upon the means to affect it.”
“Suppose it to be a caprice—a mere caprice!”
“In that case, I should be powerless.”
“I don’t mean an actual caprice,” said she, hurriedly, for she saw her error; “but a sort of apprehension that this initial mistake of my brother’s would lead to worse. Great unhappiness has been caused to families by these connexions; the Irish are a very vindictive people, Sir, if they thought, as they might think, some years hence, that we should have discovered our blunder before. In short, Sir, I will not turn special pleader to show what I wish and I insist on.”
“Do you think, if I were to remain here to-morrow, Sir Gervais would be able to see me.”
“It is most improbable; I am certain the doctors would not consent to it.”
“Nor even the next day, perhaps?”