And, truly, speaking from report, I know no place where fifty thousand
pounds--fifty thousand pounds, I say--will make a woman more welcome
than it is likely to do in your ancient kingdom. And, truly, saving
the slight twist in her shoulder, Mrs. Martha Trapbois is a person of
very awful and majestic appearance, and may, for aught I know, be come
of better blood than any one wots of; for old Trapbois looks not over
like to be her father, and her mother was a generous, liberal sort of
a woman."
"I am afraid," answered Nigel, "that chance is rather too vague to
assure her a gracious reception into an honourable house."
"Why, then, my lord," replied Hildebrod, "I think it like she will be
even with them; for I will venture to say, she has as much ill-nature
as will make her a match for your whole clan."
"That may inconvenience me a little," replied Nigel.
"Not a whit--not a whit," said the Duke, fertile in expedients; "if
she should become rather intolerable, which is not unlikely, your
honourable house, which I presume to be a castle, hath, doubtless,
both turrets and dungeons, and ye may bestow your bonny bride in
either the one or the other, and then you know you will be out of
hearing of her tongue, and she will be either above or below the
contempt of your friends."
"It is sagely counselled, most equitable sir," replied Nigel, "and
such restraint would be a fit meed for her folly that gave me any
power over her.
Pages:
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472