Rachel's
income, which would have helped him to anything else, would not help him
here; and Rachel had accordingly released herself, without encountering
a moment's serious opposition on his part. If I am told that this is a
mere speculation, I ask, in my turn, what other theory will account for
his giving up a marriage which would have maintained him in splendour
for the rest of his life?
Any exultation I might otherwise have felt at the lucky turn which
things had now taken, was effectually checked by what passed at my
interview with old Mr. Ablewhite.
He came, of course, to know whether I could give him any explanation of
Miss Verinder's extraordinary conduct. It is needless to say that I
was quite unable to afford him the information he wanted. The annoyance
which I thus inflicted, following on the irritation produced by a recent
interview with his son, threw Mr. Ablewhite off his guard. Both his
looks and his language convinced me that Miss Verinder would find him
a merciless man to deal with, when he joined the ladies at Brighton the
next day.
I had a restless night, considering what I ought to do next. How my
reflections ended, and how thoroughly well founded my distrust of Mr.
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