'
'You mean to say he would keep her in decent poverty? Cannot you be
explicit, Maulevrier, and say what means the man has, whether an income
or none? If you cannot tell me I must question Mr. Hammond himself.'
'Pray do not do that,' exclaimed her grandson urgently. 'Do not take all
the flavour of romance out of Molly's love story, by going into pounds,
shillings, and pence. She is very young. You would hardly wish her to
marry immediately?'
'Not for the next year, at the very least.'
'Then why enter upon this sordid question of ways and means. Make
Hammond and Mary happy by consenting to their engagement, and trust the
rest to Providence, and to me. Take my word for it, Hammond is not a
beggar, and he is a man likely to make his mark in the world. If a year
hence his income is not enough to allow of his marrying, I will double
Mary's allowance out of my own purse. Hammond's friendship has steadied
me, and saved me a good deal more than five hundred a year.'
'I can quite believe that. I believe Mr. Hammond is a worthy man, and
that his influence has been very good for you; but that does not make
him a good match for Mary.
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