thstand her. The pure, gentle intonations rang upon
Mr. Copley's soul almost like bells of doom, because he did withstand
her. She was his saving good angel; he half knew it; he was ashamed
before his child, and conscience knocked hard at the door of his heart;
but the very shame he felt before her made her presence irksome to him,
while yet it was, oh, so sweet! Alas, "he that doeth evil hateth the
light." He was entangled in more than one sort of net, and he lacked
moral power to break the meshes. The gentle fingers that were busy with
the net, trying to unloose it, were a reproach and a torment to him.
She _must_ marry St. Leger; so his thoughts ran; it was the best thing
that could happen to her; it was the best he could do for her. Then she
would be secure, at all events.

"Dolly, why don't you like Lawrence?" he began.

"He's too handsome, father,--for one thing."

"I never heard of such a reason for a lady's dislike. That's play,
Dolly."

"And he knows it; there's another thing."

"Well, of course he knows it. How can he help knowing it?"

"And he's too rich."

"Dolly, you are talking nonsense."

"And he knows that."

"He doesn't know he's _too_ rich," said Mr. Copley, with a little
bitterness. "No St. Leger ever did that."

"Well, father, that's what he is. Very handsome, and very rich. He is
nothing else. He would suit some people admirably; but he don't suit
me."

"What sort of thing would suit you?"

"A very perverse sort of a person, who is called Frank Collinshaw
Copley."

"Well, you've got me," said her father, laughing a little at her. He
could not help it. "You want something else besides."

"I don't, father, indeed."

"And, my child, money is necessary in this world. You cannot get along
without money."

"Father, will you come to Venice? and we'll get along with very little
money. Father, we _must_ go, for mother. The doctor says so, and she is
just longing to go. We ought to go as soon as ever you can be ready."

"You show how much you know about it, when you talk of Venice and a
_little_ money! You had better take Mr. St. Leger."

"Father, everybody says living is cheap in Switzerland."

"You talked of Venice."

"And Italy. The doctor says mother ought to stay some time at Nice, or
Naples. Father, you can arrange it. Do! Give up the consulate, and let
us take mother to Italy; and then home if you like. I don't much care,
so that we have you." And again Dolly's forehead bent