“Now, ma chère sœur,” Anthon resumed, attempting the difficult passage with a light touch, “you have had your fling in the world like the best of us, and have shown your heels rather freely. Don’t you think it’s time to take in sail and make some port?” He could not hit upon quite the right figure. “In other words, consolidate the present position which you have chosen to create.” No phrase seemed delicate enough for the business. But his sister helped him out.
“You mean you would like to have me induce Mr. Erard to marry me?”
Her brother nodded. She laughed a long, low, relishing laugh. “So this is the decision of the family. I am to marry the villainous Erard at last!” She laughed again shrilly.
“Yes,” Anthon pursued, discomfited. “That’s the only thing to do now for all parties, for Erard’s sake as well as your own. He is a very clever fellow, and I have no doubt in time we can get him some respectable place. He will make his niche in the world. I am told that he is very strong in his line. But you probably know that as well as I.
“Of course,” he continued, as Mrs. Wilbur seemed occupied with her own thoughts, “you would have to observe the convenances for a time, live over here very quietly and not appear publicly in America or London.”
“And suppose I have no wish to marry Mr. Simeon Erard?” his sister asked at length.
“Not marry him!” Anthon gasped. “Good Lord, Adela, what do you mean? You haven’t any objection to marriage in itself,—and when it’s to save your reputation.”
Mrs. Wilbur reddened at the concluding phrase. “You didn’t think that it would require any urging to make a woman who is compromised accept the honourable position of wife?”
“Don’t speak so shockingly, pray.”
“But you are wrong, dear Walter,” she gave a sarcastic laugh. “There is really no illegal relation between us—pray don’t squirm at words. There was a time when the outcome might have been different. But now that you have planned it all nicely, I am sorry that I cannot please you. Marriage with Mr. Erard at present does not really seem to me so possible.”