She smiled at him divinely when he had finished.
"Dear, dear Tristram," she said, and she put her hand on his. "You are indeed, as you have always been, the best of friends. Everything you say is true, and I know you have not liked to say it. But you see that it is no good, and so I want you to be on my side in the fight I am afraid that I am going to have with dearest Papa. Will you?"
"I have already told him," said Tristram, "that if I thought the match was for your happiness, I should uphold it."
"My happiness! You cannot doubt that, can you, Tristram?"
He did not answer.
"Papa is in his study," she suggested. "Suppose you were to go now and see what you can do with him?"
"I will try," he answered.
She came after him to the door, thanking him. He could not have borne much more.
(2)
The Rector was sitting at his study table. "Well," he said, as the envoy entered. "What does she say? You have been my last hope of persuading her to see things sensibly."