"Then let it alone, my boy," said Caleb, abruptly, "else you'll never be easy. Or, if you ARE easy, you'll be a poor stick.""That is very nearly what Mary thinks about it," said Fred, coloring.
"I think you must know what I feel for Mary, Mr. Garth: I hope it does not displease you that I have always loved her better than any one else, and that I shall never love any one as I love her."The expression of Caleb's face was visibly softening while Fred spoke.
But he swung his head with a solemn slowness, and said--"That makes things more serious, Fred, if you want to take Mary's happiness into your keeping.""I know that, Mr. Garth," said Fred, eagerly, "and I would do anything for HER. She says she will never have me if I go into the Church;and I shall be the most miserable devil in the world if I lose all hope of Mary. Really, if I could get some other profession, business--anything that I am at all fit for, I would work hard, I would deserve your good opinion. I should like to have to do with outdoor things.
I know a good deal about land and cattle already. I used to believe, you know--though you will think me rather foolish for it--that Ishould have land of my own. I am sure knowledge of that sort would come easily to me, especially if I could be under you in any way.""Softly, my boy," said Caleb, having the image of "Susan" before his eyes. "What have you said to your father about all this?""Nothing, yet; but I must tell him. I am only waiting to know what I can do instead of entering the Church. I am very sorry to disappoint him, but a man ought to be allowed to judge for himself when he is four-and-twenty. How could I know when I was fifteen, what it would be right for me to do now? My education was a mistake.""But hearken to this, Fred," said Caleb. "Are you sure Mary is fond of you, or would ever have you?""I asked Mr. Farebrother to talk to her, because she had forbidden me--I didn't know what else to do," said Fred, apologetically. "And he says that I have every reason to hope, if I can put myself in an honorable position--I mean, out of the Church I dare say you think it unwarrantable in me, Mr. Garth, to be troubling you and obtruding my own wishes about Mary, before I have done anything at all for myself.
Of course I have not the least claim--indeed, I have already a debt to you which will never be discharged, even when I have been, able to pay it in the shape of money.""Yes, my boy, you have a claim," said Caleb, with much feeling in his voice. "The young ones have always a claim on the old to help them forward. I was young myself once and had to do without much help; but help would have been welcome to me, if it had been only for the fellow-feeling's sake. But I must consider. Come to me to-morrow at the office, at nine o'clock. At the office, mind."Mr. Garth would take no important step without consulting Susan, but it must be confessed that before he reached home he had taken his resolution. With regard to a large number of matters about which other men are decided or obstinate, he was the most easily manageable man in the world. He never knew what meat he would choose, and if Susan had said that they ought to live in a four-roomed cottage, in order to save, he would have said, "Let us go," without inquiring into details. But where Caleb's feeling and judgment strongly pronounced, he was a ruler;and in spite of his mildness and timidity in reproving, every one about him knew that on the exceptional occasions when he chose, he was absolute. He never, indeed, chose to be absolute except on some one else's behalf. On ninety-nine points Mrs. Garth decided, but on the hundredth she was often aware that she would have to perform the singularly difficult task of carrying out her own principle, and to make herself subordinate.
"It is come round as I thought, Susan," said Caleb, when they were seated alone in the evening. He had already narrated the adventure which had brought about Fred's sharing in his work, but had kept back the further result. "The children ARE fond of each other--I mean, Fred and Mary."
Mrs. Garth laid her work on her knee, and fixed her penetrating eyes anxiously on her husband.
"After we'd done our work, Fred poured it all out to me. He can't bear to be a clergyman, and Mary says she won't have him if he is one;and the lad would like to be under me and give his mind to business.
And I've determined to take him and make a man of him.""Caleb!" said Mrs. Garth, in a deep contralto, expressive of resigned astonishment.
"It's a fine thing to do," said Mr. Garth, settling himself firmly against the back of his chair, and grasping the elbows.
"I shall have trouble with him, but I think I shall carry it through. The lad loves Mary, and a true love for a good woman is a great thing, Susan. It shapes many a rough fellow.""Has Mary spoken to you on the subject?" said Mrs Garth, secretly a little hurt that she had to be informed on it herself.
"Not a word. I asked her about Fred once; I gave her a bit of a warning.
But she assured me she would never marry an idle self-indulgent man--nothing since. But it seems Fred set on Mr. Farebrother to talk to her, because she had forbidden him to speak himself, and Mr. Farebrother has found out that she is fond of Fred, but says he must not be a clergyman. Fred's heart is fixed on Mary, that I can see:
it gives me a good opinion of the lad--and we always liked him, Susan.""It is a pity for Mary, I think," said Mrs. Garth.
"Why--a pity?"
"Because, Caleb, she might have had a man who is worth twenty Fred Vincy's.""Ah?" said Caleb, with surprise.
"I firmly believe that Mr. Farebrother is attached to her, and meant to make her an offer; but of course, now that Fred has used him as an envoy, there is an end to that better prospect."There was a severe precision in Mrs. Garth's utterance. She was vexed and disappointed, but she was bent on abstaining from useless words.
Caleb was silent a few moments under a conflict of feelings.