I give you every opportunity to display your
talent, if you have any, which I very seriously doubt. You have
leisure and unlimited means at your disposal. I only stipulate that
before I make you independent, and before you marry, you shall give
some proof of your powers in literature. I don't say you must wait
till you have acquired a fortune. Your first production that is
accepted and acknowledged sets you free. When I see you are really
on the way to a profession, I will take care your finances don't
trouble you, and as to marriage, you can then, of course, do what
you please. But as to assisting you now to hurry into an affair that
I don't under any circumstances particularly approve of--No."
"Why don't you approve of it?" I said, with a faint smile; "if I
were in love with a housemaid or a ballet dancer I could understand
your objection, but a girl in our own rank, educated, pretty,
clever--what more would you have?"
My father shrugged his shoulders and elevated his eyebrows, and
finally answered--"I should have liked a little more sanity between
you. Remember there is insanity on her side and insanity on yours,
and you both of you seem half-cracky already, to my mind. Then you
are cousins. The relationship is near, unpleasantly near. You are
both very much alike, extremely excitable, and with both your heads
stuffed full of nonsense.
Pages:
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72