\"take care you don\"t get caught by a penniless girl, john.\"

\"i am not easily caught, mother, as i think you know. but i must nothāve miss hale spoken of in that way, which, you know, is offensive tome. i never was aware of any young lady trying to catch me yet, nor doi believe that any one has ever given themselves that useless trouble.\"

mrs. thornton did not choose to yield the point to her son; or else shehad, in general, pride enough for her sex.

\"well! i only say, take care. perhaps our milton girls hāve too muchspirit and good feeling to go angling after husbands; but this miss halees out of the aristocratic counties, where, if all tales be true, richhusbands are reckoned prizes.\"

mr. thornton\"s brow contracted, and he came a step forward into theroom.

\"mother\" (with a short scornful laugh), \"you will make me confess. theonly time i saw miss hale, she treated me with a haughty civility whichhad a strong flāvour of contempt in it. she held herself aloof from me as

if she had been a queen, and i her humble, unwashed vassal. be easy,mother.\"

\"no! i am not easy, nor content either. what business had she, arenegade clergyman\"s daughter, to turn up her nose at you! i woulddress for none of them--a saucy set! if i were you.\" as he was leāvingthe room, he said:-\"

mr. hale is good, and gentle, and learned. he is not saucy. as for mrs.

hale, i will tell you what she is like to-night, if you care to hear.\" heshut the door and was gone.

\"despise my son! treat him as her vassal, indeed! humph! i should liketo know where she could find such another! boy and man, he\"s thenoblest, stoutest heart i ever knew. i don\"t care if i am his mother; i cansee what\"s what, and not be blind. i know what fanny is; and i knowwhat john is. despise him! i hate her!\"

..,(xＴ小说"///

0 0