‘I only sat there because I hoped to help you,’ he said; and then he bade me remember that they had disclosed nothing of these intentions of theirs in the letters which spoke of an accommodation.  If they had done so, he might have left me in Holland with some of the English ladies so as to be out of reach; but the scheme had only been propounded to him on the previous morning.  I asked why he had not refused it at once, and he pointed out that it was not for him to disclose my secret attachment, even had it been expedient so to do.  All that he had been able to do was to declare that the whole must depend on my free consent.  ‘And,’ he said, with a smile, ’methought thereby I had done enough for our Nan, who has no weak will unless by violence she over-strain it.’

I felt rebuked as well as reassured and strengthened, and he again assured me that I was safe so long as he lived from being pressed into any marriage contract displeasing to me.

‘But I am promised to M. Darpent,’ was my cry.  ’Why did you hinder me from saying so?’

’Have you not lived long enough in France to know that it would go for nothing, or only make matters worse?’ he said.  ’Solivet would not heed your promise more than the win that blows, except that he might visit it upon Darpent.’

‘You promised to persuade my mother,’ I said.  ’She at least knows how things go in England.  Besides, she brought him here constantly.  Whenever she was frightened there was a cry for Darpent.’

Eustace, however, thought my mother ought to know that my word was given; and we told her in private the full truth, with the full approbation of my mother, the head of the family, and he reminded her that at home such a marriage would be by no means unsuitable.  Poor mother! she was very angry with us both.  She had become so entirely imbued with her native French notions that she considered the word of a demoiselle utterly worthless, and not to be considered.  As to my having encouraged Avocat Darpent, une creature comme ca, she would as soon have expected to be told that I had encouraged her valet La Pierre!  She was chiefly enraged with me, but her great desire was that I should not be mad enough, as she said, to let it be known that I had done anything so outrageous as to pass my word to any young man, above all to one of inferior birth.  It would destroy my reputation for ever, and ruin all the chance of my marriage.

Above all, she desired that it should be concealed from Solivet.  She was a prudent woman, that poor mother of mine, and she was afraid of her son’s chastising what she called presumption, and thus embroiling himself with the Parliament people.  I said that Solivet had no right over me, and that I had not desire to tell him, though I had felt that she was my mother and ought to be warned that I never would be given to any man save Clement Darpent; and Eustace said that though he regretted the putting himself in opposition