Mrs. Laura frankly owned that she liked our Clive better without his
wife than with her, and never ceased to regret that pretty Rosey had not
bestowed her little hand upon Captain Hoby, as she had been very well
disposed at one time to do. Against all marriages of interest this
sentimental Laura never failed to utter indignant protests; and Clive's
had been a marriage of interest, a marriage made up by the old people, a
marriage which the young man had only yielded out of good-nature and
obedience. She would apostrophise her unconscious young ones, and inform
those innocent babies that they should never be made to marry except for
love, never--an announcement which was received with perfect indifference
by little Arthur on his rocking-horse, and little Helen smiling and
crowing in her mother's lap.
So Clive came down to us, careworn in appearance, but very pleased and
happy, he said, to stay for a while with the friends of his youth. We
showed him our modest rural lions; we got him such sport and company as
our quiet neighbourhood afforded, we gave him fishing in the Brawl, and
Laura in her pony-chaise drove him to Baymouth, and to Clavering Park and
town, and visit the famous cathedral at Chatteris, where she was pleased
to recount certain incidents of her husband's youth.
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