One of those events has happened to-day; and I find
myself in a position to end all these dry business details, I hope
agreeably, with a message from my wife. Will you honour Mrs. Bruff by
becoming her guest? And will you remain under my roof, and be one of
my family, until we wise people have laid our heads together, and have
settled what is to be done next?"
At those words, I rose to interfere. Mr. Bruff had done exactly what
I had dreaded he would do, when he asked Mrs. Ablewhite for Rachel's
bonnet and shawl.
Before I could interpose a word, Rachel had accepted his invitation in
the warmest terms. If I suffered the arrangement thus made between
them to be carried out--if she once passed the threshold of Mr. Bruff's
door--farewell to the fondest hope of my life, the hope of bringing my
lost sheep back to the fold! The bare idea of such a calamity as
this quite overwhelmed me. I cast the miserable trammels of worldly
discretion to the winds, and spoke with the fervour that filled me, in
the words that came first.
"Stop!" I said--"stop! I must be heard. Mr. Bruff! you are not related
to her, and I am. I invite her--I summon the executors to appoint me
guardian.
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