"Good Heaven!—what do you mean? Why do you not take advice?"
"Because no advice could save me;—and because if it could, I would not take it."
"I hope you are not in earnest. Perhaps this strange marriage, if it do no other good, may benefit your health by placing you in a larger family. I cannot think you are happy at the Vicarage."
"Indeed!" replied Henrietta with a melancholy smile.
"And I cannot but hope that you will be more happy here."
"Well!—we shall see. But I should take it very kind of you if you would make the three young Mowbrays understand, that if I could have prevented this iniquitous marriage, I would have done it."
"Would it be safe to say so much to Fanny?"
"Yes. Mr. Cartwright will never hear her bosom secrets more."
In the midst of the tide of triumph and of joy which seemed at this time to bear the Vicar of Wrexhill far above the reach of any earthly sorrow, there was a little private annoyance that beset him,—very trifling indeed, but which required a touch of his able diplomatic adroitness to settle satisfactorily.