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422 'I am astonished! you cannot be surprised at that, Miss Thorne: I am astonished at hearing so singular a confession made.'

'Do you think my confession singular, or is it the fact of my being engaged to your son?'

'We will pass over that for the present. But do let me ask you, do you think it possible, I say possible, that you and Frank should be married?'

'Oh, certainly; quite possible.'

'Of course you know that he has not a shilling in the world.'

'Nor have I, Lady Arabella.'

'Nor will he have were he to do anything so utterly hostile to his father's wishes. The property, you are aware, is altogether at Mr. Gresham's disposal.'

'I am aware of nothing about the property, and can say nothing about it except this, that it has not been, and will not be inquired after by me in this matter. If I marry Frank Gresham, it will not be for the property. I am sorry to make such an apparent boast, but you force me to do it.'

'On what then are you to live? You are too old for love in a cottage, I suppose?'

'Not at all too old; Frank, you know, is "still quite a boy."'

Impudent hussy! forward, ill-conditioned, saucy minx! such were the epithets which rose to Lady Arabella's mind; but she politicly suppressed them.

'Miss Thorne, this subject is of course to me very serious; very ill-adapted for jesting. I look upon such a marriage as absolutely impossible.'

'I do not know what you mean by impossible, Lady Arabella.'

'I mean, in the first place, that you two could not get yourselves married.'

'Oh, yes; Mr. Oriel would manage that for us. We are his parishioners, and he would be bound to do it.'

'I beg your pardon; I believe that under all the circumstances it would be illegal.'

Mary smiled; but she said nothing. 'You may laugh, Miss Thorne, but I think you will find that I am right. There are still laws to prevent such fearful distress as would be brought about by such a marriage.'

'I hope that nothing I shall do will bring distress on the family.'

'Ah, but it would; don't you know that it would? Think of it, Miss Thorne. Think of Frank's state, and of his father's state. You know enough of that, I am sure, to be well aware that Frank is not in a condition to marry without money. Think of the