The Old Man's Bride CHAPTER 8.
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"Helen Lee must be sick," said Fanny Milnor to her uncle, two days after Helen had been sent home through the storm in a carriage.
"Why do you think so?" asked Mr. Bullfinch, in a quick tone of voice, as if the suggestion had excited a sudden concern.
"This is her regular day for giving me a lesson. But she did not come. She has never missed before; I'm afraid she took cold from exposure on her last visit."
The shadow that concern had thrown upon the face of Mr. Bullfinch, instantly gave place to a smile.
"I hope not," he said. "Some other reason may have prevented her from coming. She is, I think, a very excellent girl, Fanny."
"She is, indeed, a good girl, uncle," returned Fanny, "I like her very much."
"So do I," said Mr. Bullfinch, with considerable animation. "From the first I have observed her closely, and am convinced that she is a true-hearted, pure-minded, excellent young lady; thoroughly educated and accomplished, and fitted to adorn any station in life. Don't you think so, Fanny?"
"I have always thought so, and often said to myself, that if I were a young man, in search of a wife, I would, from among all my acquaintances, select Helen Lee."
"Well said! Well said! You are a sensible girl." And Mr. Bullfinch rubbed his hands together in undisguised pleasure. "And you think she is sick?" he added, after a pause, and with a steady, meaning look.
"I'm afraid so," replied Fanny, thinking within herself that there was something unusual in the manner of her uncle.
"There is another reason, I presume, why she is not here," said Mr. Bullfinch.
"You think so?"
"Yes. And I'll tell you my thoughts a little farther, if you wish to hear them."
There was a look of mystery in the countenance of Mr. Bullfinch.
"What do you mean, uncle?"
"I don't think Miss Lee intends giving you anymore lessons."
"Why? She gave me no such intimation."
"I believe it is her intention to give up the office of instructor altogether."
"Uncle! You surprise me. When did you hear this?"
'"Yesterday."
"And is it so, really?"
"Yes."
"What is she going to do?"
"What a great many other lovely young creatures, just like her, have done before."
"Get married?"
"Yes."
"Why, uncle!"
"Anything so surprising in that!"
"It is a little surprising that you should know all about it, while I never once suspected that an emotion so deep as that of love had passed over the calm surface of her virgin heart."
"And yet it is so."
"Who is the happy man, uncle? Is he worthy of her? Will she marry well?"
"I think so."
The look and tone that accompanied this would have betrayed Mr. Bullfinch to anyone else; but Fanny had not the remotest dream of the truth.
"I am surprised and delighted, Uncle Adam. But how very close she has been about it! Ah! I never would have suspected her."
"You think her lover fortunate?"
"I do — very fortunate."
"He's a happy man, certainly. A prize like this is not often secured in a matrimonial lottery."
"Indeed it is not. But, why keep me in suspense, uncle? If you know the happy man — tell me his name."
"She is to be a very near neighbor of ours."
"Oh, uncle! Don't tease me in this way."
"A very near neighbor."
"How near? Next door?"
"Nearer than that."
The face of Fanny Milnor flushed, instantly, to a deep crimson. A suspicion of the truth had dawned upon her mind.
"Yes, nearer than that!" said Mr. Bullfinch, in a voice meant to confirm the impression which he now saw had taken hold of her mind.
"Speak plainly, uncle Adam." The color had already faded from the cheeks of Fanny; while the whole expression of her countenance was changed.
"Plainly, then, Fanny — Miss Lee is soon to become mistress of this house. Have you any objection?"
"Oh, uncle! Can this be possible?" exclaimed the niece, in a distressed tone.
"Surely you are trifling with me. You marry Helen Lee? Impossible!"
"It will certainly take place, Fanny. But why all this feeling on the subject? I can't understand it."
"She is but a child, uncle, and cannot marry a man of your age except for some low and debasing motive. She can have no love for you!"
"And why not, please?" Mr. Bullfinch glanced at himself in a large pier mirror. "I am only in the prime of life; and my heart is as warm as ever — that never grows old."
"Believe me, uncle," said Fanny, speaking slow and impressively, "that no young girl ever marries an old man, except from a selfish motive. As to loving him truly, that is impossible, in the very nature of things."
"Nonsense! Nonsense, child!" replied Mr. Bullfinch, impatiently. "These marriages are always the happiest. I've seen a good many of them in my time, and never saw one that did not turn out well."
"I had a better opinion of Helen than this," said Fanny, speaking partly to herself. "She was poor — but I believed her virtuous."
"Virtuous!" exclaimed Mr. Bullfinch, with indignation, "How dare you question her angelic purity?"
"If," replied Fanny, speaking very firmly, "there were true maiden purity in her heart, she would never consent to such a union."
"Silence, Miss!" exclaimed Mr. Bullfinch, passionately. "Silence, I say! How dare you speak thus, and to my face, of the woman who is soon to become my wife?"
And the old man, overcome with excitement, stalked around the room, throwing his arm about impotently.
"You will not marry this girl, Uncle Adam," said Fanny, in a pleading, affectionate voice, taking hold of the old man's arm in a fond manner, after his anger had in a measure subsided.
"And why will I not, please? Haven't I told you, that it is all settled?"
"Oh no, no, uncle! I will not believe it."
"You must believe it," replied the old man, positively; "for as sure as you are living — it will take place."
Fanny withdrew her grasp from his arm, and stepped back as if she had been repulsed by a strong hand.
"You are fully in earnest in this?" said she.
"I was never in my life more in earnest about anything," was the firm reply.
"Enough. When she enters this house as your wife — I leave it forever. I could not live beneath the same roof with a creature who had so forgotten all that belonged to her as a woman."
"You are beside yourself, Fanny. You don't know what you are talking about," said Mr. Bullfinch, in a perplexed tone of voice. He was in no way prepared for an alternative like this.
"Am I not free to do as I wish? And is not Helen free to make her choice in life, without becoming the subject of false judgment from her own gender? How dare you question thepurity of her motives! An angel is not purer. As to leaving my house, Fanny, that is a threat I am sorry to hear you make. You have been to me as a very dear child, and I would still cherish you as such. No one can take your place in my heart. But, if you turn from me, if you go out from beneath the roof which has so long sheltered you, and would shelter you still — then the loss, the evil be on your own head. I am not to be turned from a right purpose by any threat like this — the hasty threat of a capricious girl."
"I have said it, uncle — and I will abide by it," was the calm, resolute answer. "If I remain, she must be my companion and equal. But, I hold her to be unworthy of that relation."
"She is quite as good as you are!" said Mr. Bullfinch, angrily.
"So I would have said an hour ago — but I did not know her then. A veil has fallen from before my eyes, and now she stands revealed in her true character."
"What folly for you to talk in this way! You know her to be pure and good, and in every way worthy your companionship."
"I thought her so, until now. But, henceforth, I can only regard her as unworthy — as having been false to her maiden instincts — as being influenced in an act, which should be the highest, purest and holiest in woman's life — by the most sordid and mercenary motives. She will not marry you because she loves you, but because you are rich! Augh! I shudder at the thought! How can you respect her? And you would place her side by side with me, as a companion and an equal! But I cannot permit it, uncle. I will not sodegrade myself."
"You jump to conclusions. You judge harshly, Fanny," said Mr. Bullfinch, speaking with much feeling. "Why not judge a sister maiden with more charity? In supposing reasons for her conduct — why not suppose such as are good?"
"Because I cannot," was replied. "Some acts are never to be misjudged. They always spring from wrong motives — and this is one of them."
"You try me beyond endurance, by this perverseness!" exclaimed the old man again, losing command of himself. "Your language I regard as an insult to myself, and an outrageupon one about to hold to me the closest relation in life. I will hear no more of it. What I have announced, will soon take place. By that time, I trust you will have become wiser and more discreet. If not, the consequences must rest on your own head. Things have come to a pretty pass, when a strip of a girl like you, attempts to lecture me after this fashion, and to threaten what she will do, if my conduct doesn't just please her fancy! A nice state of things, indeed! A nice state of things — let me hear no more of it!"
Fanny bowed, silently, her head upon her bosom, and stood, without speaking, for a few moments. Then she left the room and sought her own chamber, where, sinking into a chair, she burst into a wild passion of tears, and wept bitterly for a long time.
The bark Mr. Bullfinch had launched on the sea of love, was not destined to glide as smoothly along the rippling surface, as he had hoped. Already an adverse wind had crudely fluttered the sails — while a cloud, threatening many future storms, was lowering over the sky. Opposition on the part of Fanny, he had not once anticipated. He knew that she was attached to Helen, and had, besides, a great respect for her. He had not in the least doubted, that when she came to know that Helen was to be an inhabitant of their home, holding the high relation of his wife — that she would receive the announcement with unalloyed pleasure; but, he was destined to be bitterly disappointed. Several things that Helen said, smarted his feelings, while others excited no very pleasant thoughts. That his marriage with a girl, whose years numbered scarcely a third of his own, had produced so marked a feeling of reprobation on one mind, did not flatter him much as to the general impression the act would produce. Yet, for all this, he did not once think of looking back. The good he sought was, in his estimation, too great to be bartered for such lighter drawbacks as these.
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