'Oh! but you will be turned out. I am not going to make myself answerable for any improper amount of idleness. Papa says you have got all the law courts to reform.'
'There must be a double Hercules for such a set of stables as that,' said Felix; and then with the slight ceremony to which I have before adverted he took his leave for the day.
'I suppose there will be no use in delaying it,' said Lady Staveley on the same morning as she and her daughter sat together in the drawing-room. They had already been talking over the new engagement by the hour, together; but that is a subject on which mothers with marriageable daughters never grow tired, as all mothers and marriageable daughters know full well.
'Oh! mamma, I think it must be delayed.'
'But why, my love? Mr. Graham has not said so?'
'You must call him Felix, mamma. I'm sure it's a nice name.'
'Very well, my dear, I will.'
'No; he has said nothing yet. But of course he means to wait till,—till it will be prudent.'
'Men never care for prudence of that kind when they are really in love;—and I'm sure he is.'
'Is he, mamma?'
'He will marry on anything or nothing. And if you speak to him he tells you of how the young ravens were fed. But he always forgets that he's not a young raven himself.'
'Now you're only joking, mamma.'
'Indeed I'm quite in earnest. But I think your papa means to make up an income for you,—only you must not expect to be rich.'
'I do not want to be rich. I never did.'
'I suppose you will live in London, and then you can come down here when the courts are up. I do hope he won't ever want to take a situation in the colonies.'
'Who, Felix? Why should he go to the colonies?'
'They always do,—the clever young barristers who marry before they have made their way. That would be very dreadful. I really think it would kill me.'
'Oh! mamma, he sha'n't go to any colony.'
'To be sure there are the county courts now, and they are better I suppose you wouldn't like to live at Leeds or Merthyr-Tydvil?'
'Of course I shall live wherever he goes; but I don't know why you should send him to Merthyr-Tydvil.'
'Those are the sort of places they do go to. There is young Mrs. Bright Newdegate,—she had to go to South Shields, and her babies are all dreadfully delicate. She lost two, you know. I do think the Lord Chancellor ought to think about that. Reigate, or Maidstone, or anywhere about Great Marlow would not be so bad.'
