One of Our Conquerors - World eBook Library

One of Our Conquerors
but weighty and necessary: ‘my wife was in her twentieth
year: we have five children; two sons, three daughters, one
married, with a baby. So we are grandfather and mother, and
have never regretted the first step, I may say for both of us.’
‘Think of it! Good luck and sagacity joined hands overhead
on the day you proposed to the lady: and I’d say, that
all the credit is with her, but that it would seem to be at the
expense of her sex.’
‘She would be the last to wish it, I assure you.’
‘True of all good women! You encourage me, touching a
matter of deep interest, not unknown to you. The lady’s warm
heart will be with us. Probably she sees Mrs. Burman?’
‘Mrs. Burman Radnor receives no one.’
A comic severity in the tone of the correction was deferentially
accepted by Fenellan.
‘Pardon. She flies her flag, with her captain wanting; and
she has, queerly, the right. So, then, the worthy dame who
receives no one, might be treated, it struck us, conversationally,
as a respectable harbour-hulk, with more history than
top-honours. But she has the indubitable legal right to fly
them—to proclaim it; for it means little else.’
‘You would have her, if I follow you, divest herself of the
name?’
‘Pin me to no significations, if you please, O shrewdest of
the legal sort! I have wit enough to escape you there. She is
no doubt an estimable person.’
‘Well, she is; she is in her way a very good woman.’
‘Ah. You see, Mr. Carling, I cannot bring myself to rank her
beside another lady, who has already claimed the title of me;
and you will forgive me if I say, that your word “good” has a
look of being stuck upon the features we know of her, like a
coquette’s naughty patch; or it’s a jewel of an eye in an ebony
idol: though I’ve heard tell she performs her charities.’
‘I believe she gives away three parts of her income and that
is large.’
‘Leaving the good lady a fine fat fourth.’
‘Compare her with other wealthy people.’
‘And does she outshine the majority still with her personal
attractions.
Carling was instigated by the praise he had bestowed on his
wife to separate himself from a female pretender so ludicrous;
he sought Fenellan’s nearest ear, emitting the sound of ‘hum.’
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