Men had told him that, had he not
struck the Earl in the yard of the Crown at Keswick, as horses were
being brought out for the lord's travelling carriage, ample provision
would have been made by the rich old sinner for his daughter. That
might have been so, or might not, but the saying instigated the
tailor to further zeal and increased generosity. To oppose an Earl,
even though it might be on behalf of a Countess, was a joy to him; to
set wrong right, and to put down cruelty and to relieve distressed
women was the pride of his heart,--especially when his efforts were
made in antagonism to one of high rank. And he was a man who would
certainly be thorough in his work, though his thoroughness should
be ruinous to himself. He had despised the Murrays, who ought to
have stuck to their distant cousin, and had exulted in his heart
at thinking that the world would say how much better and truer had
been the Keswick tailor than the well-born and comparatively wealthy
Scotch relations. And the poets of the lakes, who had not as yet
become altogether Tories, had taken him by the hand and praised him.
The rights of the Countess and the wrongs of the Countess had become
his life. But he still kept on a diminished business in the north,
and it was now needful that he should return to Cumberland. He had
heard that renewed offers of compromise were to be made,--though
no idea of the proposed marriage between the distant cousins had
been suggested to him. He had been discussing the question of some
compromise with the Countess when she spoke to him respecting his
son; and had recommended that certain terms should, if possible, be
effected. Let the money be divided, on condition that the marriage
were allowed. There could be no difficulty in this if the young
lord would accede to such an arrangement, as the marriage must
be acknowledged unless an adverse party should bring home proof
from Italy to the contrary. The sufficiency of the ceremony in
Applethwaite Church was incontestable. Let the money be divided, and
the Countess be Countess Lovel, and Lady Anna be the Lady Anna to all
the world. Old Thomas Thwaite himself had seemed to think that there
would be enough of triumph in such a settlement. "But the woman might
afterwards be bribed to come over and renew her claim," said the
Countess. "Unless it be absolutely settled now, they will say when I
am dead and gone that my daughter has no right to her name." Then the
tailor said that