"My husband is a worthy man," said Mrs. Bazalgette, languidly, "but
now and then he makes me blush for him."
"Our good friend is a humorist," replied Fountain, good-humoredly,
"and dearly loves a paradox"; and they pooh-poohed him without a
particle of malice.
Then Mrs. Bazalgette turned to Lucy, and hoped that she did her the
justice to believe she had none but affectionate motives in wishing to
see her speedily established.
"Oh no, aunt," said Lucy. "Why should you wish to part with me? I give
you but little trouble in your great house."
"Trouble, child? you know you are a comfort to have in any house."
This pleased Lucy; it was the first gracious word for a long time.
Having thus softened her, Mrs. Bazalgette proceeded to attack her by
all the weaknesses of her sex and age, and for a good hour pressed her
so hard that the tears often gushed from Lucy's eyes over her red
cheeks. The girl was worn by the length of the struggle and the
pertinacity of the assault. She was as determined as ever to do
nothing, but she had no longer the power to resist in words. Seeing
her reduced to silence, and not exactly distinguishing between
impassibility and yielding, Mrs. Bazalgette delivered the
_coup-de-grace._
"I must now tell you plainly, Lucy, that your character is compromised
by being out all night with persons of the other sex. I would have
spared you this, but your resistance compels those who love you to
tell you all. Owing to that unfortunate trip, you are in such a
situation that you _must_ marry.
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