Mary looked so much moved, that he said after a moment, "Let us walk a

little;" and when they were walking he added, "To speak quite plainly,

Fred will not take any course which would lessen the chance that you

would consent to be his wife; but with that prospect, he will try his

best at anything you approve."

"I cannot possibly say that I will ever be his wife, Mr. Farebrother:

but I certainly never will be his wife if he becomes a clergyman. What

you say is most generous and kind; I don't mean for a moment to correct

your judgment. It is only that I have my girlish, mocking way of

looking at things," said Mary, with a returning sparkle of playfulness

in her answer which only made its modesty more charming.

"He wishes me to report exactly what you think," said Mr. Farebrother.

"I could not love a man who is ridiculous," said Mary, not choosing to

go deeper. "Fred has sense and knowledge enough to make him

respectable, if he likes, in some good worldly business, but I can

never imagine him preaching and exhorting, and pronouncing blessings,

and praying by the sick, without feeling as if I were looking at a

caricature. His being a clergyman would be only for gentility's sake,

and I think there is nothing more contemptible than such imbecile

gentility. I used to think that of Mr. Crowse, with his empty face and

neat umbrella, and mincing little speeches. What right have such men

to represent Christianity--as if it were an institution for getting up

idiots genteelly--as if--" Mary checked herself. She had been carried

along as if she had been speaking to Fred instead of Mr. Farebrother.

"Young women are severe: they don't feel the stress of action as men

do, though perhaps I ought to make you an exception there. But you

don't put Fred Vincy on so low a level as that?"

"No, indeed, he has plenty of sense, but I think he would not show it

as a clergyman. He would be a piece of professional affectation."

"Then the answer is quite decided. As a clergyman he could have no

hope?"

Mary shook her head.

"But if he braved all the difficulties of getting his bread in some

other way--will you give him the support of hope? May he count on

winning you?"

"I think Fred ought not to need telling again what I have already said

to him," Mary answered, with a slight resentment in her manner. "I

mean that he ought not to put such questions until he has done

something worthy, instead of saying that he could do it."




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