Page:The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (emended first edition), Volume 1.djvu/287

Rh to do, aunt? If everybody followed your advice the world would soon come to an end."

"Never fear, my dear! the male fools and reprobates will never want for partners while there are so many of the other sex to match them; but do you follow my advice. And this is no subject for jesting, Helen, I am sorry to see you treat the matter in that light way. Believe me, matrimony is a serious thing." And she spoke it so seriously that one might have fancied she had known it to her cost; but I asked no more impertinent questions, and merely answered,—

"I know it is; and I know there is truth and sense in what you say; but you need not fear me, for I, not only, should think it wrong to marry a man that was deficient in sense or in principle, but I should never be tempted to do it; for I could not like him, if he were ever so handsome and ever so charming in other respects; I should hate him—despise him—pity him—anything but love him. My affections