`Well，Ishallbeneithercarelessnorweak。’
`RememberPeter，Helen！Don’tboast，butwatch。Keepaguardoveryoureyesandearsastheinletsofyourheart，andoveryourlipsastheoutlet，lesttheybetrayyouinamomentofunwariness。Receive，coldlyanddispassionately，everyattention，tillyouhaveascertainedanddulyconsideredtheworthoftheaspirant；andletyouraffectionsbeconsequentuponapprobationalone。Firststudy；thenapprove；thenlove。
letyoureyesbeblindtoallexternalattractions，yourearsdeaftoallthefascinationsofBatteryandlightdiscourse——Thesearenothing——andworsethannothing——snaresandwilesofthetempter，tolurethethoughtlesstotheirowndestruction。Principleisthefirstthing，afterall；andnexttothat，goodsense，respectability，andmoderatewealth。Ifyoushouldmarrythehandsomest，andmostaccomplishedandsuperficiallyagreeablemanintheworld，youlittleknowthemiserythatwouldoverwhelmyou，if，afterall，youshouldfindhimtobeaworthlessreprobate，orevenanimpracticablefool。’
`Butwhatareallthepoorfoolsandreprobatestodo，aunt？Ifeverybodyfollowedyouradvicetheworldwouldsooncometoanend。’
`Neverfear，mydear！themalefoolsandreprobateswillneverwantforpartnerswhiletherearesomanyoftheothersextomatchthem；
butdoyoufollowmyadvice。Andthisisnosubjectforjesting，Helen；
Iamsorrytoseeyoutreatthematterinthatlightway。Believeme，matrimonyisaseriousthing。’Andshespokeitsoseriouslythatonemighthavefanciedshehadknownittohercost；butIaskednomoreimpertinentquestions，andmerelyanswered，——
`Iknowitis；andIknowthereistruthandsenseinwhatyousay；butyouneednotfearme，forInotonlyshouldthinkitwrongtomarryamanthatwasdeficientinsenseorinprinciple，butIshouldneverbetemptedtodoit；forIcouldnotlikehim，ifhewereeversohandsomeandeversocharminginotherrespects；Ishouldhatehim——despisehim——pityhim——anythingbutlovehim。Myaffectionsnotonlyoughttobefoundedonapprobation，buttheywillandmustbeso：forwithoutapprovingIcannotlove。ItisneedlesstosayIoughttobeabletorespectandhonourthemanImarryaswellaslovehim，forIcannotlovehimwithout。Sosetyourmindatrest。’
`Ihopeitmaybeso，’answeredshe。
`Iknowitisso，’persistedI。
`Youhavenotbeentriedyet，Helen：wecallbuthope，’saidshe，inhercold，cautiousway。
`Iwasvexedatherincredulity；butIamnotsureherdoubtswereentirelywithoutsagacity；IfearIhavefounditmucheasiertorememberheradvicethantoprofitbyit——Indeed，Ihavesometimesbeenledtoquestionthesoundnessofherdoctrinesonthosesubjects。Hercounselsmaybegood，asfarastheygo——inthemainpoints，atleast；——buttherearesomethingsshehasoverlookedinhercalculations。Iwonderifshewaseverinlove。
Icommencedmycareer——ormyfirstcampaign，asmyunclecallsit——kindlingwithbrighthopesandfancies——chieflyraisedbythisconversation——andfullofconfidenceinmyowndiscretion。Atfirst，IwasdelightedwiththenoveltyandexcitementofourLondonlife；butsoon，Ibegantowearyofitsmingledturbulenceandconstraint，andsighforthefreshnessandfreedomofhome。Mynewacquaintances，bothmaleandfemale，disappointedmyexpectations，andvexedanddepressedmebyturns；forIsoongrewtiredofstudyingtheirpeculiarities，andlaughingattheirfoibles——particularlyasIwasobligedtokeepmycriticismstomyself，formyauntwouldnothearthem——andthey——theladiesespecially——appearedsoprovokinglymindless，andheartless，andartificial。Thegentlemenseemedbetter，butperhapsitwasbecauseIknewthemless，perhapsbecausetheyflatteredme；butIdidnotfallinlovewithanyofthem，andiftheirattentionspleasedmeonemoment，theyprovokedmethenext，becausetheyputmeoutofhumourwithmyself，byrevealingmyvanityandmakingmefearIwasbecominglikesomeoftheladiesIsoheartilydespised。
Therewasoneelderlygentlemanthatannoyedmeverymuch；aricholdfriendofmyuncle’s，who，Ibelieve，thoughtIcouldnotdobetterthanmarryhim；but，besidesbeingold，hewasuglyanddisagreeable，——andwicked，Iamsure，thoughmyauntscoldedmeforsayingso；butsheallowedhewasnosaint。Andtherewasanother，lesshateful，butstillmoretiresome，becauseshefavouredhim，andwasalwaysthrustinghimuponme，andsonghispraisesinmyears，MrBoarham，byname，Bore’emasIpreferspellingit，foraterribleborehewas：Ishudderstill，attheremembranceofhisvoice，drone，drone，drone，inmyear，whilehesatbesideme，prosingawaybythehalf-hourtogether，andbeguilinghimselfwiththenotionthathewasimprovingmymindbyusefulinformation，orimpressinghisdogmasuponme，andreformingmyerrorsofjudgment，or，perhaps，thathewastalkingdowntomylevel，andamusingmewithentertainingdiscourse。Yethewasadecentmanenough，inthemain，Idaresay；andifhehadkepthisdistance，Ineverwouldhavehatedhim。Asitwas，itwasalmostimpossibletohelpit；forhenotonlybotheredmewiththeinflictionofhisownpresence，buthekeptmefromtheenjoymentofmoreagreeablesociety。
Onenight，however，ataball，hehadbeenmorethanusuallytormenting，andmypatiencewasquiteexhausted——Itappearedasifthewholeeveningwasfatedtobeinsupportable：Ihadjusthadonedancewithanempty-headedcoxcomb，andthenMrBoarhamhadcomeuponme，andseemeddeterminedtoclingtomefortherestofthenight。Heneverdancedhimself，andtherehesat，pokinghisheadinmyface，andimpressingallbeholderswiththeideathathewasaconfirmed，acknowledgedlover；myauntlookingcomplacentlyon，allthetime，andwishinghimGod-speed。InvainIattemptedtodrivehimawaybygivingaloosetomyexasperatedfeelings，eventopositiverudeness：nothingcouldconvincehimthathispresencewasdisagreeable。
Sullensilencewastakenforraptattention，andgavehimgreaterroomtotalk；sharpanswerswerereceivedassmartsalliesofgirlishvivacity，thatonlyrequiredanindulgentrebuke；andflatcontradictionswerebutasoiltotheflames，callingforthnewstrainsofargumenttosupporthisdogmas，andbringingdownuponmeendlessfloodsofreasoningtooverwhelmmewithconviction。
Buttherewasonepresentwhoseemedtohaveabetterappreciationofmyframeofmind。Agentlemanstoodby，whohadbeenwatchingourconferenceforsometime，evidentlymuchamusedatmycompanion’sremorselesspertinacityandmymanifestannoyance，andlaughingtohimselfattheasperityanduncompromisingspiritofmyreplies。Atlength，however，hewithdrew，andwenttotheladyofthehouse，apparentlyforthepurposeofaskinganintroductiontome，for，shortlyafter，theybothcameup，andsheintroducedhimasMrHuntingdon，thesonofalatefriendofmyuncle’s。Heaskedmetodance。Igladlyconsented，ofcourse；andhewasmycompanionduringtheremainderofmystay，whichwasnotlong，formyaunt，asusual，insisteduponanearlydeparture。
Iwassorrytogo，forIhadfoundmynewacquaintanceaverylivelyandentertainingcompanion。Therewasacertaingracefuleaseandfreedomaboutallhesaidanddid，thatgaveasenseofreposeandexpansiontothemind，aftersomuchconstraintandformalityasIhadbeendoomedtosuffer。Theremightbe，itistrue，alittletoomuchcarelessboldnessinhismannerandaddress，butIwasinsogoodahumour，andsogratefulformylatedeliverancefromMrBoarham，thatitdidnotangerme。
`Well，Helen，howdoyoulikeMrBoarhamnow？’saidmyaunt，aswetookourseatsinthecarriageanddroveaway。
`Worsethanever，’Ireplied。
Shelookeddispleasedbutsaidnomoreonthatsubject。
`Whowasthegentlemanyoudancedwithlast，’resumedshe，afterapause——`thatwassoofficiousinhelpingyouonwithyourshawl？’
`Hewasnotofficiousatall，aunt：heneverattemptedtohelpme，tillhesawMrBoarhamcomingtodoso；andthenhesteppedlaughinglyforwardandsaid，“Come，I’llpreserveyoufromthatinfliction。”’
`Whowasit，Iask？’saidshe，withfrigidgravity。
`ItwasMrHuntingdon，thesonofuncle’soldfriend。’
`IhaveheardyourunclespeakofyoungMrHuntingdon。I’veheardhimsay，“He’safinelad，thatyoungHuntingdon，butabitwildishIfancy。”
SoI’dhaveyoubeware。’
`Whatdoes“abitwildish“mean？’Ienquired。
`Itmeansdestituteofprinciple，andpronetoeveryvicethatiscommontoyouth。’
`ButI’veheardunclesayhewasasadwildfellowhimself，whenhewasyoung。’
Shesternlyshookherhead。
`Hewasjestingthen，Isuppose，’saidI，`andherehewasspeakingatrandom——atleast，Icannotbelievethereisanyharminthoselaughingblueeyes。’
`Falsereasoning，Helen！’saidshe，withasigh。
`Well，weoughttobecharitable，youknow，aunt——besides，Idon’tthinkitisfalse：Iamanexcellentphysiognomist，andIalwaysjudgeofpeople’scharactersbytheirlooks——notbywhethertheyarehandsomeorugly，butbythegeneralcastofthecountenance。Forinstance，Ishouldknowbyyourcountenancethatyouwerenotofacheerful，sanguinedisposition；
andIshouldknowbyMrWilmot’sthathewasaworthlessoldreprobate，andbyMrBoarham’sthathewasnotanagreeablecompanion，andbyMrHuntingdon’sthathewasneitherafoolnoraknave，though，possibly，neitherasagenorasaint——butthatisnomattertome，asIamnotlikelytomeethimagain——unlessasanoccasionalpartnerintheballroom。
Itwasnotso，however，forImethimagainnextmorning。Hecametocalluponmyuncle，apologizingfornothavingdonesobefore，bysayinghewasonlylatelyreturnedfromthecontinent，andhadnotheard，tillthepreviousnight，ofmyuncle’sarrivalintown；andafterthat，Ioftenmethim；sometimesinpublic，sometimesathome；forhewasveryassiduousinpayinghisrespectstohisoldfriend，whodidnot，however，considerhimselfgreatlyobligedbytheattention。
`Iwonderwhatthedeucetheladmeansbycomingsooften，’hewouldsay，——`canyoutell，Helen？——Hey？Hewantsnoneo’mycompany，norIhis——that’scertain。’
`Iwishyou’dtellhimso，then，’saidmyaunt。
Why，whatfor？IfIdon’twanthim，somebodydoesmayhap(winkingatme)。Besides，he’saprettytidyfortune，Peggy，youknow——notsuchacatchasWilmot，butthenHelenwon’thearofthatmatch；for，somehow，theseoldchapsdon’tgodownwiththegirls——withalltheirmoney——andtheirexperiencetoboot。I’llbetanythingshe’dratherhavethisyoungfellowwithoutapenny，thanWilmotwithhishousefullofgold——Wouldn’tyou，Nell？’
`Yes，uncle；butthat’snotsayingmuchforMrHuntingdon，forI’dratherbeanoldmaidandapauper，thanMrsWilmot。’
`AndMrsHuntingdon？batwouldyouratherbethanMrsHuntingdon？
eh？’
`I’lltellyouwhenI’veconsideredthematter。’
`Ah！itneedsconsiderationthen——Butcomenow——wouldyouratherbeanoldmaid——letalonethepauper？’
`Ican’ttelltillI’masked。’
AndIlefttheroomimmediately，toescapefurtherexamination。
Butfiveminutesafter，inlookingfrommywindow，IbeheldMrBoarhamcominguptothedoor。Iwaitednearlyhalfanhourinuncomfortablesuspense，expectingeveryminutetobecalled，andvainlylongingtohearhimgo。
Then，footstepswereheardonthestairs，andmyauntenteredtheroomwithasolemncountenance，andclosedthedoorbehindher。
`HereisMrBoarham，Helen，’saidshe。`Hewishestoseeyou。’
`Oh，aunt！Can’tyoutellhimI’mindisposed？——I’msureIam——toseehim。’
`Nonsense，mydear！thisisnotriflingmatter。Heiscomeonaveryimportanterrand——toaskyourhandinmarriage，ofyouruncleandme。’
`Ihopemyuncleandyoutoldhimitwasnotinyourpowertogiveit。Whatrighthadhetoaskanyonebeforeme？’
`Helen！’
`Whatdidmyunclesay？’
`Hesaidhewouldnotinterfereinthematter；ifyoulikedtoacceptMrBoarham’sobligingoffer，you——’
`Didhesayobligingoffer？’
`No；hesaidifyoulikedtotakehimyoumight；andifnot，youmightpleaseyourself。’
`Hesaidright；andwhatdidyousay？’
`ItisnomatterwhatIsaid。Whatwillyousay？——thatisthequestion。Heisnowwaitingtoaskyouhimself；butconsiderwellbeforeyougo；andifyouintendtorefusehim，givemeyourreasons。’
`Ishallrefusehim，ofcourse，butyoumusttellmehow，forIwanttobecivilandyetdecided——andwhenI’vegotridofhim，I’llgiveyoumyreasonsafterwards。’
