Page:Bianca, or, The Young Spanish Maiden (Toru Dutt).djvu/19

he smiled; "only the pride of Bianca. is natural and innate; but my lady’s—" He was interrupted by a tap at the door; “come in,” he answered. He was surprised to see his mother enter. He drew a chair for her near the window. "Well,mother. "My lady coughed; looked at her son for full one minute; he was not at all subdued by this Gorgon gaze, as my lady thought he would be; his face became graver; the smile passed away from his lips; that was all. He expected what was coming. "Colin,you are now twenty-five years old, you ought to think of settling down, my son." "I quite agree with you, my mother; I am getting old; I shall soon want a wife to take care of me; but I think you can take care of your Colin in his dotage, can’t you mother? And he smiled pleasantly. "Colin you are jesting; I am speaking in earnest. I do want you to marry and settle down." "Whom shall I marry, mother?" Lady Moore glanced quickly up at her son's face. He was looking out on the scene beyond, all shimmering in moonlight. His brow was contracted, his eye thoughtful. She read nothing in his face. "There is Miss De Wilton." She said. "Too old, mother, she must be twenty-five herself or more." She is rich; she will bring you fifty thousand pounds as dowry." "I do not want money. She should marry a poor man, the curate." "She is very beautiful." "Tastes differ." "She has beautiful auburn hair." "Red,you mean, I like black better." My lady’s eyes shot an angry flash at her son, which was lost on him, for he was not looking at her. "And you like a sooty complexion, a snub nose, a low forehead, and a girl without a penny. But she cannot marry you; she is too far gone with"——"Mother!" He turned upon her fiercely. There was no display of passion, but the tone of his voice, his vein-swollen forehead, the dark light in his hazel eyes silenced my lady. She had never seen a man angry before. Her late husband was the mildest man in the world. Cohn had been always to her at least “a careless but a good boy.” She was subdued by his strange manner; she saw in him no more "the thoughtless lad" but a man, with the strong passions of a man. She felt she had gone too far. He was the first to speak;