One of Our Conquerors - World eBook Library

George Meredith
has taken the place of pleasure), that they had need to exalt
his eloquence, for a cloak to their conduct; and doing it,
they fell into a habit of yielding to him; they disintegrated
under him; rules, principles, morality, were shaken to some
confusion. And still proceeding thus, they now and then
glanced back, more wonderingly than convicted sinners upon
their days of early innocence, at the night when successfully
they withstood him. They who had doubted of the rightness
of letting Victor’s girl come into collision with two clerical
gentlemen, one of whom was married, permitted him now
to bring the Hon. Dudley Sowerby to their house, and make
appointments to meet Mr. Dudley Sowerby under a roof
that sheltered a young lady, evidently the allurement to the
scion of aristocracy; of whose family Mr. Stuart Rem had
spoken in the very kindling hushed tones, proper to the union
of a sacerdotal and an English citizen’s veneration.
How would it end? And if some day this excellent Mr.
Dudley Sowerby reproached them! He could not have a
sweeter bride, one more truly a lady in education and manners;
but the birth! the child’s name! Their trouble was emitted
in a vapour of interjections. Very perplexing was it for
the good ladies of strict principles to reflect, as dimly they
did, that the concrete presence of dear Nesta silenced and
overcame objections to her being upon earth. She seemed,
as it were, a draught of redoubtable Nature inebriating morality.
But would others be similarly affected? Victor might
get his release, to do justice to the mother: it would not cover
the child. Prize as they might the quality of the Radnor blood
(drawn from the most ancient of original Britain’s princes),
there was also the Cantor blood for consideration; and it
was old, noble, proud. Would it be satisfied in matching
itself with great wealth, a radiant health, and the good looks
of a young flower? For the sake of the dear girl, the ladies
hoped that it would; and they enlarged the outline of their
wedding present, while, in their minds, the noble English
family which could be satisfied so, was lowered, partaking of
the taint they had personally ceased to recognize.
Of one thing they were sure, and it enlisted them: the
gentleman loved the girl. Her love of him, had it been prominent
to view, would have stirred a feminine sigh; not more,
except a feminine lecture to follow. She was quite uninflamed,
fresh and cool as a spring. His ardour had no disguise. They
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