'But I am promised to M. Darpent,' was my cry. 'Why did you hinder
me from saying so?'
'Have you not lived long enough in France to know that it would go
for nothing, or only make matters worse?' he said. 'Solivet would
not heed your promise more than the win that blows, except that he
might visit it upon Darpent.'
'You promised to persuade my mother,' I said. 'She at least knows
how things go in England. Besides, she brought him here constantly.
Whenever she was frightened there was a cry for Darpent.'
Eustace, however, thought my mother ought to know that my word was
given; and we told her in private the full truth, with the full
approbation of my mother, the head of the family, and he reminded her
that at home such a marriage would be by no means unsuitable. Poor
mother! she was very angry with us both. She had become so entirely
imbued with her native French notions that she considered the word of
a demoiselle utterly worthless, and not to be considered. As to my
having encouraged Avocat Darpent, une creature comme ca, she would as
soon have expected to be told that I had encouraged her valet La
Pierre! She was chiefly enraged with me, but her great desire was
that I should not be mad enough, as she said, to let it be known that
I had done anything so outrageous as to pass my word to any young
man, above all to one of inferior birth. It would destroy my
reputation for ever, and ruin all the chance of my marriage.
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