ItwasnotmanyweeksafterthisbeforeIwasaboutthehouse
again，andbegantogrowwell；butIcontinuedmelancholy，
silent，dull，andretired，whichamazedthewholefamily，except
hethatknewthereasonofit；yetitwasagreatwhilebefore
hetookanynoticeofit，andI，asbackwardtospeakashe，
carriedrespectfullytohim，butneverofferedtospeakaword
tohimthatwasparticularofanykindwhatsoever；andthis
continuedforsixteenorseventeenweeks；sothat，asIexpected
everydaytobedismissedthefamily，onaccountofwhat
distastetheyhadtakenanotherway，inwhichIhadnoguilt，
soIexpectedtohearnomoreofthisgentleman，afterallhis
solemnvowsandprotestations，buttoberuinedandabandoned。
AtlastIbrokethewaymyselfinthefamilyformyremoving；
forbeingtalkingseriouslywiththeoldladyoneday，about
myowncircumstancesintheworld，andhowmydistemper
hadleftaheavinessuponmyspirits，thatIwasnotthesame
thingIwasbefore，theoldladysaid，’Iamafraid，Betty，what
Ihavesaidtoyouaboutmysonhashadsomeinfluenceupon
you，andthatyouaremelancholyonhisaccount；pray，will
youletmeknowhowthematterstandswithyouboth，ifit
maynotbeimproper？
For，asforRobin，hedoesnothingbut
rallyandbanterwhenIspeakofittohim。’
’Why，truly，
madam，’saidI’thatmatterstandsasIwishitdidnot，andI
shallbeverysincerewithyouinit，whateverbefallsmeforit。
Mr。Roberthasseveraltimesproposedmarriagetome，which
iswhatIhadnoreasontoexpect，mypoorcircumstances
considered；butIhavealwaysresistedhim，andthatperhaps
intermsmorepositivethanbecameme，consideringtheregard
thatIoughttohaveforeverybranchofyourfamily；but，’said
I，’madam，Icouldneversofarforgetmyobligationtoyou
andallyourhouse，tooffertoconsenttoathingwhichIknow
mustneedsbedisobligingtoyou，andthisIhavemademy
argumenttohim，andhavepositivelytoldhimthatIwould
neverentertainathoughofthatkindunlessIhadyourconsent，
andhisfather’salso，towhomIwasboundbysomany
invincibleobligations。’
’Andisthispossible，Mrs。Betty？’saystheoldlady。
’Then
youhavebeenmuchjustertousthanwehavebeentoyou；
forwehavealllookeduponyouasakindofsnaretomyson，
andIhadaproposaltomaketoyouforyourremoving，for
fearofit；butIhadnotyetmentionedittoyou，becauseI
thoughtyouwerenotthoroughwell，andIwasafraidof
grievingyoutoomuch，lestitshouldthrowyoudownagain；
forwehaveallarespectforyoustill，thoughnotsomuchas
tohaveitbetheruinofmyson；butifitbeasyousay，wehave
allwrongedyouverymuch。’
’AstothetruthofwhatIsay，madam，’saidI，’referyouto
yoursonhimself；ifhewilldomeanyjustice，hemusttellyou
thestoryjustasIhavetoldit。’
EndofPart2
Part3
Awaygoestheoldladytoherdaughtersandtellsthemthe
wholestory，justasIhadtoldither；andtheyweresurprised
atit，youmaybesure，asIbelievedtheywouldbe。
Onesaid
shecouldneverhavethoughtit；anothersaidRobinwasafool；
athirdsaidshewouldnotbelieveawordofit，andshewould
warrantthatRobinwouldtellthestoryanotherway。
Butthe
oldgentlewoman，whowasresolvedtogotothebottomofit
beforeIcouldhavetheleastopportunityofacquaintingher
sonwithwhathadpassed，resolvedtoothatshewouldtalk
withhersonimmediately，andtothatpurposesentforhim，
forhewasgonebuttoalawyer’shouseinthetown，upon
somepettybusinessofhisown，anduponhersendinghe
returnedimmediately。
Uponhiscominguptothem，fortheywereallstilltogether，
’Sitdown，Robin，’saystheoldlady，’Imusthavesometalk
withyou。’
’Withallmyheart，madam，’saysRobin，looking
verymerry。
’Ihopeitisaboutagoodwife，forIamatagreat
lossinthataffair。’
’Howcanthatbe？’sayshismother；’did
notyousayyouresolvedtohaveMrs。Betty？’
’Ay，madam，’
saysRobin，’butthereisonehasforbidthebanns。’
’Forbid，
thebanns！’sayshismother；’whocanthatbe？’
’EvenMrs。
Bettyherself，’saysRobin。
’Howso？’sayshismother。
’Have
youaskedherthequestion，then？’
’Yes，indeed，madam，’says
Robin。
’Ihaveattackedherinformfivetimessinceshewassick，
andambeatenoff；thejadeissostoutshewon’tcapitulatenor
yielduponanyterms，exceptsuchasIcannoteffectuallygrant。’
’Explainyourself，’saysthemother，’forIamsurprised；Ido
notunderstandyou。
Ihopeyouarenotinearnest。’
’Why，madam，’sayshe，’thecaseisplainenoughuponme，
itexplainsitself；shewon’thaveme，shesays；isnotthatplain
enough？
Ithink’tisplain，andprettyroughtoo。’
’Well，but，’
saysthemother，’youtalkofconditionsthatyoucannotgrant；
whatdoesshewant——asettlement？
Herjointureoughttobe
accordingtoherportion；butwhatfortunedoesshebringyou？’
’Nay，astofortune，’saysRobin，’sheisrichenough；Iam
satisfiedinthatpoint；but’tisIthatamnotabletocomeup
toherterms，andsheispositiveshewillnothavemewithout。’
Herethesistersputin。
’Madam，’saysthesecondsister，’’tis
impossibletobeseriouswithhim；hewillnevergiveadirect
answertoanything；youhadbetterlethimalone，andtalkno
moreofittohim；youknowhowtodisposeofheroutofhis
wayifyouthoughttherewasanythinginit。’
Robinwasalittle
warmedwithhissister’srudeness，buthewasevenwithher，
andyetwithgoodmannerstoo。
’Therearetwosortsofpeople，
madam，’sayshe，turningtohismother，’thatthereisno
contendingwith；thatis，awisebodyandafool；’tisalittle
hardIshouldengagewithbothofthemtogether。’
Theyoungersisterthenputin。
’Wemustbefoolsindeed，’
saysshe，’inmybrother’sopinion，thatheshouldthinkwecan
believehehasseriouslyaskedMrs。Bettytomarryhim，and
thatshehasrefusedhim。’
’Answer，andanswernot，saySolomon，’repliedherbrother。
’Whenyourbrotherhadsaidtoyourmotherthathehadasked
hernolessthanfivetimes，andthatitwasso，thatshepositively
deniedhim，methinksayoungersisterneednotquestionthe
truthofitwhenhermotherdidnot。’
’Mymother，yousee，
didnotunderstandit，’saysthesecondsister。
’There’ssome
difference，’saysRobin，’betweendesiringmetoexplainit，
andtellingmeshedidnotbelieveit。’
’Well，but，son，’saystheoldlady，’ifyouaredisposedtolet
usintothemysteryofit，whatwerethesehardconditions？’
’Yes，madam，’saysRobin，’Ihaddoneitbeforenow，ifthe
teasersherehadnotworriedmybywayofinterruption。
The
conditionsare，thatIbringmyfatherandyoutoconsenttoit，
andwithoutthatsheprotestsshewillneverseememoreupon
thathead；andtotheseconditions，asIsaid，IsupposeIshall
neverbeabletogrant。
Ihopemywarmsisterswillbe
answerednow，andblushalittle；ifnot，Ihavenomoretosay
tillIhearfurther。’
Thisanswerwassurprisingtothemall，thoughlesstothe
mother，becauseofwhatIhadsaidtoher。
Astothedaughters，
theystoodmuteagreatwhile；butthemothersaidwithsome
passion，’Well，Ihadheardthisbefore，butIcouldnotbelieve
it；butifitisso，theywehavealldoneBettywrong，andshe
hasbehavedbetterthanIeverexpected。’
’Nay，’saystheeldest
sister，’ifitbeso，shehasactedhandsomelyindeed。’
’Iconfess，’
saysthemother，’itwasnoneofherfault，ifhewasfoolenough
totakeafancytoher；buttogivesuchananswertohim，shows
morerespecttoyourfatherandmethanIcantellhowto
express；IshallvaluethegirlthebetterforitaslongasIknow
her。’
’ButIshallnot，’saysRobin，’unlessyouwillgiveyour
consent。’’I’llconsiderofthatawhile，’saysthemother；’I
assureyou，iftherewerenotsomeotherobjectionsintheway，
thisconductofherswouldgoagreatwaytobringmeto
consent。’
’Iwishitwouldgoquitethroughit，’saysRobin；
’ifyouhadamuchthoughtaboutmakingmeeasyasyouhave
aboutmakingmerich，youwouldsoonconsenttoit。’
’Why，Robin，’saysthemotheragain，’areyoureallyinearnest？
Wouldyousofainhaveherasyoupretend？’
“Really，madam，’
saysRobin，’Ithink’tishardyoushouldquestionmeupon
thatheadafterallIhavesaid。
Iwon’tsaythatIwillhaveher；
howcanIresolvethatpoint，whenyouseeIcannothaveher
withoutyourconsent？
Besides，Iamnotboundtomarryat
all。
ButthisIwillsay，Iaminearnestin，thatIwillneverhave
anybodyelseifIcanhelpit；soyoumaydetermineforme。
Bettyornobodyistheword，andthequestionwhichofthe
twoshallbeinyourbreasttodecide，madam，providedonly，
thatmygood-humouredsistersheremayhavenovoteinit。’
Allthiswasdreadfultome，forthemotherbegantoyield，
andRobinpressedherhomeonit。
Ontheotherhand，she
advisedwiththeeldestson，andheusedalltheargumentsin
theworldtopersuadehertoconsent；alleginghisbrother’s
passionateloveforme，andmygenerousregardtothefamily，
inrefusingmyownadvantagesuponsuchanicepointof
honour，andathousandsuchthings。
Andastothefather，he