Page:The Diothas, or, A far look ahead (IA diothasorfarlook01macn).pdf/71

 The strangest of all was, it was his mother first discovered, or rather, divined, the fact,—a woman, in such matters, seems to arrive at correct conclusions almost by intuition,—it was his mother discovered that her son was silently enduring some secret heart-pang, the effect of unrequited or otherwise unfortunate love. The discovery gave both pleasure and pain. Among us, as you will find, the happy marriage of her children is a mother's chief aim; its promotion, as far as it can be effected by a third party, her special province. There is no difficulty as regards the daughters. They may fairly be left to choose for themselves, since they always have it in their power to choose. But with sons it is different. For several reasons, the supply of marriageable women is always below the demand. Each mother is, accordingly, anxious that her son shall not be left among the enforced celibates. She watches for any signs indicative of a preference on his part, and becomes her son's confidant, adviser, and zealous ally in his efforts to secure the maiden of his choice. Osna Diotha—it is the custom for widows to resume their maiden name—had been anxious on account of her son's apparent indifference to female society. She longed to secure a second daughter as a partial substitute for the one soon to pass to another house.

She was accordingly delighted to learn that her son was not so indifferent as she had supposed. At the same time she was pained by his want of confidence. Her son had loved, and not made her his confidant; had failed where, perhaps, with her co-operation, he might have been successful. He avoided, too, all explanation. Nor did she press for one after she began to suspect the unhappy