But he knew too well how little effect any such prudent counsels
would have. The very fact that her interest had lasted for more
than three months showed that it had really struck roots into
her mind, and mere prudence would not avail much. Still, he would
urge prudence; then, if she was determined, she must go.
"She'll get sick of it in a fortnight," he said; but for the present
he must let her have her head, even if she was making a mistake.
She had a right to have her head, he reminded himself--"but I must
tell those people to keep her warm, she takes cold so easily."
He got up and looked out of the window; below, in the race,
there was a jam of logs, and the air was keen
with the pungent smell of sawdust and new boards.
The whir and thud of the machinery down-stairs sent a faint
quiver through the planks under his feet. "The mill will net
a good profit this year," he said to himself, absently.
"'Thalia can have pretty nearly anything she wants."
And even as he said it he had a sudden, vague misgiving:
if she didn't have everything she wanted, perhaps she would
be happier? But the idea was too new and too subtle to follow up,
so the result of that troubled hour in the mill-chamber was
only that he made no very resolute objection to Athalia's
acceptance of Eldress Hannah's permission to come.
It had been given grudgingly enough.
The family were gathered in the sitting-room; they had had their supper--
the eight elderly women and the three elderly men, all that were left
of the community.
Pages:
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34