tleman she had ever seen. Even Miss Miggs,
who was divided between admiration of Mr Chester and a mortal jealousy
of her young mistress, had sufficient leisure to be propitiated. Even
Mr Tappertit, though occupied as we have seen in gazing at his heart's
delight, could not wholly divert his thoughts from the voice of the
other charmer. Mrs Varden, to her own private thinking, had never been
so improved in all her life; and when Mr Chester, rising and craving
permission to speak with her apart, took her by the hand and led her at
arm's length upstairs to the best sitting-room, she almost deemed him
something more than human.

'Dear madam,' he said, pressing her hand delicately to his lips; 'be
seated.'

Mrs Varden called up quite a courtly air, and became seated.

'You guess my object?' said Mr Chester, drawing a chair towards her.
'You divine my purpose? I am an affectionate parent, my dear Mrs
Varden.'

'That I am sure you are, sir,' said Mrs V.

'Thank you,' returned Mr Chester, tapping his snuff-box lid. 'Heavy
moral responsibilities rest with parents, Mrs Varden.'

Mrs Varden slightly raised her hands, shook her head, and looked at the
ground as though she saw straight through the globe, out at the other
end, and into the immensity of space beyond.

'I may confide in you,' said Mr Chester, 'without reserve. I love
my son, ma'am, dearly; and loving him as I do, I would save him from
working certain misery. You know of his attachment to Miss Haredale.
You have abetted him in it, and very kind of you it was to do so. I am
deeply obliged to you--most deeply obliged to you--for your interest in
his behalf; but my dear ma'am, it is a mistaken one, I do assure you.'

Mrs Varden stammered that she was sorry--'

'Sorry, my dear ma'am,' he interposed. 'Never be sorry for what is so
very amiable, so very good in intention, so perfectly like yourself. But
there are grave and weighty reasons, pressing family considerations, and
apart even from these, points of religious difference, which interpose
themselves, and render their union impossible; utterly im-possible.
I should have mentioned these circumstances to your husband; but he
has--you will excuse my saying this so freely--he has NOT your quickness
of apprehension or depth of moral sense. What an extremely airy house
this is, and how beautifully kept! For one like myself--a widower so
long--these tokens of female care and superintendence have inexpressible
charms.