This bright variegated picture of holy wedlock, and its essential
features, as revealed to young ladies by feminine tradition, though not
enumerated in the Book of Common Prayer writ by grim males, so entranced
her, that time flew by unheeded, and Christopher Staines came back from
her father. His step was heavy; he looked pale, and deeply distressed;
then stood like a statue, and did not come close to her, but cast a
piteous look, and gasped out one word, that seemed almost to choke
him,--"REFUSED!"
Miss Lusignan rose from her chair, and looked almost wildly at him with
her great eyes. "Refused?" said she, faintly.
"Yes," said he, sadly. "Your father is a man of business; and he took
a mere business view of our love: he asked me directly what provision
I could make for his daughter and her children. Well, I told him I had
three thousand pounds in the Funds, and a good profession; and then I
said I had youth, health, and love, boundless love, the love that can
do, or suffer, the love that can conquer the world."
"Dear Christopher! And what COULD he say to all that?"
"He ignored it entirely. There! I'll give you his very words. He said,
'In that case, Dr. Staines, the simple question is, what does your
profession bring you in per annum?'"
"Oh! There! I always hated arithmetic, and now I abominate it.
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