‘And is it not very hard,’ cried Sophy, ’that even you, who own all her excellences, should turn against him, and give in to all this miserable conventionality, that wants riches and station, and trumpery worldly things, and crushes down true love in two young hearts?’

’Sophy dear, I am afraid the love is not proved to be true in the one heart, and I am sure there is none in the other!’

’Mamma!  ‘Tis her self-command—­’

’Nonsense!  His attentions are nothing but distress to her!  Sensible grown-up young women are not apt to be flattered by importunity from silly boys.  Has he told you otherwise?’

’He thinks—­he hopes, at least—­and I am sure—­it is all stifled by her sense of duty, and fear of offending you, or appearing mercenary.’

‘All delusion!’ said Albinia; ’there’s not a spark of consciousness about her!  I see you don’t like to believe it, but it is my great comfort.  Think how she would suffer if she did love him!  Nay, think, before you are angry with me for not promoting it, how it would bring them into trouble and disgrace with all the world, even if your father consented.  Have you once thought how it would appear to him?’

‘You can persuade papa to anything !’

‘Sophy! you ought to know your father better than to say that!’ cried Albinia, as if it had been disrespect to him.

’Then you think he would never allow it!  You really think that such a creature as Genevieve, as perfect a lady as ever existed, must always be a victim to these hateful rules about station.’

‘No,’ said Albinia, ’certainly not; but if she were in the very same rank, if all else were suitable, Gilbert’s age would make the pursuit ridiculous.’

‘Only three years younger,’ sighed Sophy.  ’But if they were the same age?  Do you mean that no one ever ought to marry, if they love ever so much, where the station is different?’

’No, but that they must not do so lightly, but try the love first to see whether it be worth the sacrifice.  If an attachment last through many years of adverse circumstances, I think the happiness of the people has been shown to depend on each other, but I don’t think it safe to disregard disparities till there has been some test that the love is the right stuff, or else they may produce ill-temper, regrets, and unhappiness, all the rest of their lives.’

‘If Gilbert went on for years, mamma?’

‘I did not say that, Sophy.’

‘Suppose,’ continued the eager girl, ’he went out to Calcutta, and worked these five years, and was made a partner.  Then he would be two-and-twenty, nobody could call him too young, and he would come home, and ask papa’s consent, and you—­’

‘I should call that constancy,’ said Albinia.

’And he would take her out to Calcutta, and have no Drurys and Osborns to bother her!  Oh!  It would be beautiful!  I would watch over her while he was gone!  I’ll go and tell him!’