The letters had been brought into the breakfast-parlour at Plumstead Rectory one morning, and the archdeacon had inspected them all, and then thrown over to his wife her share of the spoil --as was the custom of the house. As to most of Mrs Grantly's letters, he never made any further inquiry. To letters from her sister, the dean's wife, he was profoundly indifferent, and rarely made any inquiry as to those which were directed in writing with which he was not familiar. But there were others as to which, as Mrs Grantly knew, he would be sure to ask her questions if she did not show them. No note ever reached her from Lady Harteltop as to which he was not curious, and yet Lady Hartletop's notes very seldom contained much that was of interest. Now, on this morning, there came a letter which, as a matter of course, Mrs Grantly read at breakfast, and which, she knew, would not be allowed to disappear without inquiry. Nor, indeed, did she wish to keep the letter from her husband. It was too important to be so treated. But she would have been glad to gain time to think in what spirit she would discuss the contents of the letter--if only such time might be allowed to her. But the archdeacon would allow her no time. 'What does Henry say, my dear?' he asked, before the breakfast things had been taken away.
'What does he say? Well, he says--I'll give you his letter to read by-and-by.'
'And why not now?'
'I thought I'd read it again myself, first.'
'But if you have read it, I suppose you know what's in it?'
'Not very clearly, as yet. However, there it is.' She knew very well that when she had once been asked for it, no peace would be allowed her till he had seen it. And, alas! there was not much probability of peace in the house for some time after he had seen it.
The archdeacon read the three or first lines in silence--and then burst out. 'He has, has he? Then, by heavens--'
'Stop, dearest; stop,' said his wife, rising from her chair and coming over to him; 'do not say words which you will surely repent.'
'I will say words which shall make him repent. He shall never have from me a son's portion.'
'Do not make threats in anger. Do not! You know that it is wrong. If he has offended you, say nothing about it--even to yourself---as to threatened punishments, till you can judge of the offence in cool blood.'
'I am cool,' said the archdeacon.
'No, my dear; no; you are angry. And you have not even read his letter through.'
'I will read his letter.'
'You will see that the marriage is not imminent. It may be that even yet it will never take place. The young lady has refused him.'
'Psha!'
'You will see that she has done so. He tells us so himself. And she has behaved very properly.'
'Why has she refused him?'
'There can be no doubt about the reason. She feels that, with this charge hanging over her father, she is not in a position to become the wife of any gentleman. You cannot but respect her for that.'
The archdeacon finished his son's letter, uttering sundry interjections and ejaculations as he did so.
'Of course; I knew it. I understood it all,' he said at last. 'I've nothing to do with the girl. I don't care whether she be good or bad.'
'Oh, my dear!'
'I care not at all--with reference to my own concerns. Of course Iwould wish that the daughter of a neighbouring clergyman --that the daughter of any neighbour--that the daughter of anyone whatsoever--should be good rather than bad. But as regards Henry and me, and our mutual relation, her goodness can make no difference. Let her be another Grizel, and still such a marriage must estrange him from me, and me from him.'
'But she has refused him.'
'Yes; and what does he say?--that he has told her that he will not accept her refusal. Of course we know what it all means. The girl I am not judging. The girl I will not judge. But my own son, to whom I have ever done a father's duty with a father's affectionate indulgence--him Iwill judge. I have warned him, and he declares himself to be careless of my warning. I shall take no notice of this letter. I shall neither write to him about it or speak to him about it. But I charge you to write to him and tell him that if he does this thing he shall not have a child's portion from me. It is not that I will shorten that which would have been his; but he shall have--nothing!' Then, having spoken these words with a solemnity which for the moment silenced his wife, he got up and left the room. He left the room and closed the door, but, before he had gone half the length of the hall towards his own study, he returned and addressed his wife again. 'You understand my instructions, I hope?'
'What instructions?'
'That you write to Henry and tell him what I say.'
'I will speak again to you about it by-and-by.'
'I will speak no more about it--not a word more. Let there be not a word more said, but oblige me by doing as I ask you.'
Then he was again about to leave the room, but she stopped him. 'Wait a moment, my dear.'
'Why should I wait?'
'That you may listen to me. Surely you will do that, when I ask you. Iwill write to Henry, of course, if you bid me; and I will give him your message, whatever it may be; but not today, my dear.'
'Why not today?'
'Because the sun shall go down on your wrath before I become its messenger. If you choose to write that yourself, I cannot help it. Icannot hinder you. If I am to write to him on your behalf I will take my instructions from you tomorrow morning. When tomorrow morning comes you will not be angry with me because of the delay.'