The Revolution in Tanner's Lane Part 20

"My love, I am not altogether inclined to discountenance the attentions which George pays to Priscilla. There are so many circ.u.mstances to be taken into account."

"It is a great trouble to me, John, and I really think if anything of the kind were to happen, at least you would have to seek another cause. Just consider the position in which I should stand towards Mrs. Allen. Besides, I am sure it will interfere with your duties here if we are obliged to take notice of the Allens more than of other people in the town."

"To seek for another cause, my love? That is a very grave matter at my time of life. You remember too, that there is an endowment here."

"Quite so; and that is the more reason why we should not permit the attachment."

"But, my love, as I observed, there are so many circ.u.mstances to be taken into account. You know as well as I do in what aspect I view the Allens, and what my sentiments with regard to them are-- personally that is to say, and not as minister of the gospel.

Perhaps Providence, my dear, intends this opportunity as a means whereby the emotions of my poor sinful nature--emotions which may have been uncharitable--may be converted into brotherly love. Then we must recollect that Isaac is a prominent member of the church and a deacon. Thirdly, in all probability, if we do not permit Priscilla to marry George, offence will be taken and they may withdraw their subscription, which, I believe, comes altogether to twenty pounds per annum. Fourthly, the Allens have been blessed with an unusual share of worldly prosperity, and George is about to become a partner.

Fifthly and lastly"--Mr. Broad had acquired a habit of dividing his most ordinary conversation into heads--"it is by no means improbable that I may need a co-pastor before long, and we shall secure the Allens' powerful influence in favour of Thomas."

Mrs. Broad felt the full force of these arguments.

"I should think," she added, "that George, after marriage, cannot live at the shop."

"No, that will not be possible; they must take a private house."

So it was agreed, without any reference to the question whether Priscilla and George cared for one another, that no opposition should be offered. The Allens themselves, father and mother, were by no means so eager for the honour of the match as Mrs. Broad supposed them to be, for Mrs. Isaac, particularly proud of her husband, and a little proud of their comfortable business and their comfortable property, was not dazzled by the Flavel ancestry.

When George formally asked permission of Mr. Broad to sanction his addresses, a meeting between the parents became necessary, and Mrs.

Broad called on Mrs. Allen. She was asked into the dining-room at the back of the shop. At that time, at any rate in Cowfold, the drawing-room, which was upstairs, was an inaccessible sanctuary, save on Sunday and on high tea-party days. Mrs. Broad looked round at the solid mahogany furniture; cast her eyes on the port and sherry standing on the sideboard, in accordance with Cowfold custom; observed that not a single thing in the room was worn or shabby; that everything was dusted with absolute nicety, for the Allen's kept two servants; and became a little reconciled to her lot.

Mrs. Allen presently appeared in her black silk dress, with her gold watch hanging in front, and saluted the minister's wife with the usual good-humoured, slightly democratic freedom which always annoyed Mrs. Broad.

"My dear Mrs. Allen," began Mrs. Broad, "I have called to announce to you a surprising piece of intelligence, although I dare say you know it all. Your son George has asked Mr. Broad to be allowed to consider himself as Priscilla's suitor. We have discussed the matter together, and I have come to know what your views are. I may say that we had destined--hoped--that--er--Priscilla would find her sphere as a minister's wife in the metropolis; but it is best, perhaps, to follow the leadings of Providence."

"Well, Mrs. Broad, I must say I was a little bit disappointed myself- -to tell you the plain truth; but it is of no use to contradict young people in love with one another."

Mrs. Broad was astonished. Disappointed! But she remembered her husband's admonitions. So she contented herself with an insinuation.

"What I meant, my dear Mrs. Allen, was that, as the Flavels have been a ministerial family for so long, it would have been gratifying to me, of course, if Priscilla had bestowed herself upon--upon somebody occupying the same position."

"That is just what my mother used to say. I was a Burton, you remember. They were large tanners in Northamptonshire, and she did not like my going to a shop. But you know, Mrs. Broad, you had better be in a shop and have plenty of everything, and not have to pinch and screw, than have a bra.s.s knocker on your door, and not be able to pay for the clothes you wear. That's my belief, at any rate."

The dart entered Mrs. Broad's soul. She remembered some "procrastination"--to use her husband's favourite word--in settling a draper's bill, even when it was diminished by the pew rent, and she wondered if Mrs. Allen knew the facts. Of course she did; all Cowfold knew every fact connected with everybody in the town. She discerned it was best to retreat.

"I wished to tell you, Mrs. Allen, that we do not intend to offer the least objection"--she thought that perhaps a little professional unction might reduce her antagonist--"and I am sure I pray that G.o.d will bless their union."

"As I said before, Mrs. Broad, neither shall we object. We shall let George do as he likes. He is a real good boy, worth a princess, and if he chooses to have Miss Broad, we shan't hinder him. She will always be welcome here, and it will be a consolation to you to know she will never want anything." Mrs. Allen shook her silk dress out a little, and offered Mrs. Broad a gla.s.s of wine. Her feelings were a little fl.u.s.tered, and she needed support, but she refused.

"No thank you, Mrs. Allen. I must be going."

CHAPTER XXII--THE ORACLE WARNS--AFTER THE EVENT

It is no part of my business to tell the story of the love-making between George and Priscilla. Such stories have been told too often.

Every weakness in her was translated by George into some particularly attractive virtue. He saw nothing, heard nothing, which was not to her advantage. Once, indeed, when he was writing the letter that was for ever to decide his destiny, it crossed his mind that this was an epoch--a parting of the ways--and he hesitated as he folded it up.

But no warning voice was heard; nothing smote him; he was doing what he believed to be the best; he was allowed to go on without a single remonstrant sign. The messenger was despatched, and his fate was sealed. His mother and father had held anxious debate. They believed Priscilla to be silly, and the question was whether they should tell George so. The more they reflected on the affair the less they liked it; but it was agreed that they could do nothing, and that to dissuade their son would only embitter him against them.

"Perhaps," said Mrs. Allen, "when she has a family she will be better."

Mrs. Allen had a belief that children cured a woman of many follies.

Nevertheless the mother could not refrain, when she had to talk to George about his engagement, from "letting out" just a word.

"I hope you will be happy, my dear boy. The great thing is not to have a fool for a wife. There has never, to my knowledge, been a woman amongst the Burtons or the Allens who was a fool.

George felt nothing at the time, for he suspected nothing; but the words somehow remained with him, and reappeared later on in black intensity like invisible writing under heat.

So they were married, and went to live in a cottage, small, but very respectable, in the Shott Road. For the first six months both were in bliss. Priscilla was constantly backwards and forwards to her mother, who took upon herself at once the whole direction of her affairs; but there was no rupture with the Allens, for, whatever her other faults might be, Priscilla was not given to making quarrels, and there was little or no bitterness or evil temper in her. George came home after his work was over at the shop, and sometimes went out to supper with his wife, or read to her the newspaper, which came once a week. Like his father, he was an ardent politician, and, from the very beginning of the struggle, an enthusiastic Free Trader. The Free Trade creed was, indeed, the cause of serious embarra.s.sment, for not only were the customers agricultural and Protectionist, but the deacons at Tanner's Lane, being nearly all either farmers or connected with the land, were also Protectionist, and Mr. Broad had a hard time of it. For himself, he expressed no opinion; but once, at a deacons' meeting, when it looked as if some controversy would arise, he begged Brother Allen to remember that, though we might be wise as serpents, we were also commanded to be harmless as doves.

There was a small charity connected with the chapel, which was distributed, not in money, but in bread, and Brother Allen, not being able to contain himself, had let fall a word or two about the price of bread which would have raised a storm if Mr. Broad had not poured on the troubled waters that oil of which he was a perfect reservoir.

George did his best to instruct his wife in the merits of the controversy, and when he found anything in his newspaper read it aloud to her.

"You see, Priscilla," he said one evening, "it stands to reason that if foreign corn pays a duty, the price of every quarter grown here is raised, and this increased price goes into the farmer's or landlord's pocket: Why should I, or why should my men, pay twopence more for every loaf to buy Miss Wootton a piano?"

"Really, George, do you mean to say that they are going to buy Miss Wootton a piano?"

"My dear, I said that when they buy a loaf of bread twopence out of it goes to buy Miss Wootton's piano!" repeated George, laying an emphasis on every word. "I did not mean, of course, that they put their twopences in her pocket. The point is, that the duty enables Wootton to get more for his corn."

"Well," said Priscilla triumphantly, "I can tell you she is NOT going to have a piano. She's going to have a little organ instead, because she can play tunes better on an organ, and it's more suitable for her; so there's an end of that."

"It doesn't matter whether it is an organ or piano," said George, "the principle is the same."

"Well, but you said a piano; I don't think the principle is the same.

If I were she I would sooner have the piano."

A shade of perplexed trouble crossed George's face, and some creases appeared in his forehead; but he smoothed them away and laid down his paper.

"Priscilla, put away your work for a moment and just listen."

Priscilla was making something in the shape of netting by means of pins and a long loop which was fastened under her foot.

"I can listen, George; there is no occasion to put it away."

"Well then," he answered, placing both his elbows on the table, and resting his face upon them, "all corn which comes into this country pays a duty--that you understand. Consequently it cannot be sold here for less than sixty shillings a quarter. Of course, if that is the case, English wheat is kept up to a higher price than it would fetch it there was no duty. Therefore bread is, as I calculate, about twopence a loaf dearer than it ought to be. And why should it be? That's what I want to know."

"I believe," said Priscilla, "we might save a good bit by baking at home."

"Yes, yes; but never mind that now. You know that foreign corn pays a duty. You do know that?"

"Yes," said Priscilla, because there was nothing else to be said.

"Well, then, you must see that, if that be so, farmers can obtain a higher price for English corn."

Poor Priscilla really did her best to comprehend. She stopped her knitting for a moment, put her knitting-pin to her lips, and answered very slowly and solemnly "Ye-es."