`Butstay，Helen；sitdownalittle，andcomposeyourself。MrBoarhamisinnoparticularhurry，forhehaslittledoubtofyouracceptance；
andIwanttospeakwithyou。Tellme，mydear，whatareyourobjectionstohim？Doyoudenythatheisallupright，honourableman？’
`No。’
`Doyoudenythatbeisasensible，sober，respectable？’
`No；hemaybeallthis，but——’
`But，Helen！Howmanysuchmendoyouexpecttomeetwithintheworld？Upright，honourable，sensible，sober，respectable！——Isthissuchaneverydaycharacterthatyoushouldrejectthepossessorofsuchnoblequalities，withoutamoment’shesitation？——Yes，nobleImaycallthem；for，thinkofthefullmeaningofeach，andhowmanyinestimablevirtuestheyinclude(andImightaddmanymoretothelist)，andconsiderthatallthisislaidatyourfeet：itisinyourpowertosecurethisinestimableblessingforlife——aworthyandexcellenthusband，wholovesyoutenderly，butnottoofondlysoastoblindhimtoyourfaults，andwillbeyourguidethroughoutlife’spilgrimage，andyourpartnerineternalbliss！Thinkhow——’
`ButIhatehim，aunt，’saidI，interruptingthisunusualflowofeloquence。
`Hatehim，Helen！IsthisaChristianspirit？——youhatehim？——andhesogoodaman！’
`Idon’thatehimasaman，butasahusband。Asaman，Ilovehimsomuch，thatIwishhimabetterwifethanI——oneasgoodashimself，orbetter——ifyouthinkthatpossible——providedshecouldlikehim；——butInevercould，andtherefore——’
`Butwhynot？Whatobjectiondoyoufind？’
`Firstly，heis，atleast，fortyyearsold——considerablymoreIshouldthink，andIambuteighteen；secondly，heisnarrow-mindedandbigotedintheextreme；thirdly，histastesandfeelingsarewhollydissimilartomine；fourthly，hislooks，voice，andmannerareparticularlydispleasingtome；andfinally，IhaveanaversiontohiswholepersonthatInevercansurmount。’
`Thenyououghttosurmountit！AndpleasetocomparehimforamomentwithMrHuntingdon，and，goodlooksapart(whichcontributenothingtothemeritoftheman，ortothehappinessofmarriedlife，andwhichyouhavesooftenprofessedtoholdinlightesteem)，tellmewhichisthebetterman。’
`IhavenodoubtMrHuntingdonisamuchbettermanthanyouthinkhim，——butwearenottalkingabouthim，now，butaboutMrBoarham；andasIwouldrathergrow，live，anddieinsingleblessednessthanbehiswife’itilbutrightthatIshouldtellhimsoatonce，andputhimoutofsuspense——soletmego。’
`Butdon’tgivehimaflatdenial；hehasnoideaofsuchathing，anditwouldoffendhimgreatly：sayyouhavenothoughtsofmatrimony，atpresent——’
`ButIhavethoughtsofit。’
`Orthatyoudesireafurtheracquaintance。’
`ButIdon’tdesireafurtheracquaintance——quitethecontrary。’
Andwithoutwaitingforfurtheradmonitions，Ilefttheroom，andwenttoseekMrBoarham。Hewaswalkingupanddownthedrawing-room，hummingsnatchesoftunes，andnibblingtheendofhiscane。
`Mydearyounglady，’saidhe，bowingandsmirkingwithgreatcomplacency。`Ihaveyourkindguardian’spermission——’
`Iknow，sir，’saidI，wishingtoshortenthesceneasmuchaspossible，`andIamgreatlyobligedforyourpreference，butmustbegtodeclinethehonouryouwishtoconfer；for，Ithink，wewerenotmadeforeachother——asyouyourselfwouldshortlydiscoveriftheexperimentweretried。’
Myauntwasright：itwasquiteevidenthehadhadlittledoubtofmyacceptance，andnoideaofapositivedenial。Hewasamazed——astoundedatsuchananswer，buttooincreduloustobemuchoffended；andafteralittlehummingandhawing，hereturnedtotheattack。
`Iknow，mydear，thatthereexistsaconsiderabledisparitybetweenusinyears，intemperament，andperhapssomeotherthings，butletmeassureyou，Ishallnotbeseveretomarkthefaultsandfoiblesofayoungandardentnaturesuchasyours，andwhileIacknowledgethemtomyself，andevenrebukethemwithallafather’scare，believeme，noyouthfullovercouldbemoretenderlyindulgenttowardstheobjectofhisaffections，thanItoyou；and，ontheotherhand，letmehopethatmymoreexperiencedyearsandgraverhabitsofreflectionwillbenodisparagementinyoureyes，asIshallendeavourtomakethemallconducivetoyourhappiness。
Comenow！Whatdoyousay？——letushavenoyounglady’saffectationsandcaprices，butspeakoutatonce！’
`Iwill，butonlytorepeatwhatIsaidbefore，thatIamcertainwewerenotmadeforeachother。’
`Youreallythinkso？’
`Ido。’
`Butyoudon’tknowme——youwishforafurtheracquaintance——alongertimeto——’
`No，Idon’t。IknowyouaswellasIevershall，andbetterthanyouknowme，oryouwouldneverdreamofunitingyourselftoonesoincongruous——soutterlyunsuitabletoyouineveryway。’
`Butmydearyounglady，Idon’tlookforperfection，Icanexcuse——’
`Thankyou，MrBoarham，butIwon’ttrespassuponyourgoodness。
Youmaysaveyourindulgenceandconsiderationforsomemoreworthyobject，thatwon’ttaxthemsoheavily。’
`Butletmebegyoutoconsultyouraunt；thatexcellentlady，Iamsure，will——’
`Ihaveconsultedher；andIknowherwishescoincidewithyours；
butinsuchimportantmatters，Itakethelibertyofjudgingformyself；
andnopersuasioncanaltermyinclinations，orinducemetobelievethatsuchastepwouldbeconducivetomyhappiness，oryours——andIwonderthatamanofyourexperienceanddiscretionshouldthinkofchoosingsuchawife。’
`Ah，well！’saidhe——`Ihavesometimeswonderedatthatmyself。
Ihavesometimessaidtomyself，“NowBoarham，whatisthisyou’reafter？
Takecare，man——lookbeforeyouleap！Thisisasweet，bewitchingcreature，butremember，thebrightestattractionstothelovertoooftenprovethehusband’sgreatesttorments！”——Iassureyoumychoicehasnotbeenmadewithoutmuchreasoningandreflection。Theseemingimprudenceofthematchhascostmemanyananxiousthoughtbyday，andmanyasleeplesshourbynight；butatlength，Isatisfiedmyselfthatitwasnot，inverydeed，imprudent。Isawmysweetgirlwasnotwithoutherfaults，butofthese，heryouth，Itrusted，wasnotone，butratheranearnestofvirtuesyetunblown——astronggroundofpresumptionthatherlittledefectsoftemper，anderrorsofjudgment，opinion，ormannerwerenotirremediable，butmighteasilyberemovedormitigatedbythepatienteffortsofawatchfulandjudiciousadviser，andwhereIfailedtoenlightenandcontrol，IthoughtImightsafelyundertaketopardon，forthesakeofhermanyexcellencies。
Therefore，mydearestgirl，sinceIamsatisfied，whyshouldyouobject——onmyaccount，atleast。’
`Buttotellyouthetruth，MrBoarham，itisonmyownaccountIprincipallyobject；soletus——dropthesubject，’Iwouldhavesaid，`foritisworsethanuselesstopursueitanyfarther，’buthepertinaciouslyinterruptedmewith——
`Butwhyso？Iwouldloveyou，cherishyou，protectyou，etc。，etc。’
Ishallnottroublemyselftoputdownallthatpassedbetweenus。Sufficeittosay，thatIfoundhimverytroublesome，andveryhardtoconvincethatIreallymeantwhatIsaid，andreallywassoobstinateandblindtomyowninterests，thattherewasnoshadowofachancethateitherheormyauntwouldeverbeabletoovercomemyobjections。Indeed，IamnotsurethatIsucceededafterall，thoughweariedwithhissopertinaciouslyreturningtothesamepointandrepeatingthesameargumentsoverandoveragain，forcingmetoreiteratethesamereplies，Iatlengthturnedshortandsharpuponhim，andmylastwordswere——
`Itellyouplainly，thatitcannotbe。Noconsiderationcaninducemetomarryagainstmyinclinations。Irespectyou——atleast，Iwouldrespectyou，ifyouwouldbehavelikeasensibleman——butIcannotloveyou，andnevercould——andthemoreyoutalkthefartheryourepelme；sopraydon’tsayanymoreaboutit。’
Whereupon，hewishedmeagoodmorningandwithdrew，disconcertedandoffended，nodoubt；butsurelyitwasnotmyfault。
TheTenantofWildfellHall：Chapter17CHAPTER17FurtherWarningsThenextday，IaccompaniedmyuncleandaunttodinnerparryatMrWilmot’s。
Hehadtwoladiesstayingwithhim，hisnieceAnnabella，afinedashinggirl，orratheryoungwoman，ofsomefiveandtwenty，toogreataflirttobemarried，accordingtoherownassertion，butgreatlyadmiredbythegentlemen，whouniversallypronouncedherasplendidwoman，——andhergentlecousinMilicentHargrave，whohadtakenaviolentfancytome，mistakingmeforsomethingvastlybetterthanIwas。AndI，inreturn，wasveryfondofher——IshouldentirelyexcludepoorMilicentinmygeneralanimadversionsagainsttheladiesofmyacquaintance。Butitwasnotonheraccount，orhercousin’s，thatIhavementionedtheparty：itwasforthesakeofanotherofMrWilmot’sguests，towitMrHuntingdon。IhavegoodreasontorememberhispreSencethere，forthiswasthelasttimeIsawhim。
Hedidnotsitnearmeatdinner；foritwashisfatetohandinacapaciousolddowager，andminetobehandedinbyMrGrimsby，afriendofhis，butamanIverygreatlydisliked：therewasasinistercastinhiscountenance，andamixtureoflurkingferocityandfulsomeinsincerityinhisdemeanour，thatIcouldnotawaywith。Whatatiresomecustomthatis，bytheby——oneamongthemanysourcesoffactitiousannoyanceofthisultra-civilizedlife。Ifthegentlemenmustleadtheladiesintothedining-room，whycannottheytakethosetheylikebest？
Iamnotsure，however，thatMrHuntingdonwouldhavetakenme，ifhehadbeenatlibertytomakehisownselection。ItisquitepossiblehemighthavechosenMissWilmot；forsheseemedbentuponengrossinghisattentiontoherself，andheseemednothingloathtopaythehomageshedemanded。Ithoughtso，atleast，whenIsawhowtheytalkedandlaughed，andglancedacrossthetable，totheneglectandevidentumbrageoftheirrespectiveneighbours——andafterwards，asthegentlemenjoinedusinthedrawing。room，whenshe，immediatelyuponhisentrance，loudlycalleduponhimtobethearbiterofadisputebetweenherselfandanotherlady，andheansweredthesummonswithalacrity，anddecidedthequestionwithoutamoment’shesitationinherfavour——though，tomythinking，shewasobviouslyinthewrong——andthenstoodchattingfamiliarlywithherandagroupofotherladies；whileIsatwithMilicentHargrave，attheoppositeendoftheroom，lookingoverthelatter’sdrawingsandaidingherwithmycriticalobservationsandadvice，atherparticulardesire。Butinspiteofmyeffortstoremaincomposed，myattentionwanderedfromthedrawingstothemerrygroup，andagainstmybetterjudgmentmywrathrose，anddoubtlessmycountenancelowered；forMilicent，observingthatImustbetiredofherdaubsandscratches，beggedIwouldjointhecompanynow，anddefertheexaminationoftheremaindertoanotheropportunity。ButwhileIwasassuringherthatIhadnowishtojointhem，andwasnottired，MrHuntingdonhimselfcameuptothelittleroundtableatwhichwesat。
`Aretheseyours？’saidhe，carelesslytakinguponeofthedrawings。
`No，theyareMissHargrave’s。’
`Oh！well，let’shavealookatthem。’
And，regardlessofMissHargrave’sprotestationsthattheywerenotworthlookingat，hedrewachairtomyside，andreceivingtiledrawings，onebyonefrommyhand，successivelyscannedthemover，andthrewthemonthetable，butsaidnotawordaboutthem，thoughhewastalkingallthetime。Idon’tknowwhatMilicentHargravethoughtofsuchconduct，butIfoundhisconversationextremelyinteresting，thoughasIafterwardsdiscovered，whenIcametoanalyseit，itwaschieflyconfinedtoquizzingthedifferentmembersofthecompanypresent；andalbeithemadesomecleverremarks，andsomeexcessivelydrollones，Idonotthinkthewholewouldappearanythingveryparticular，ifwrittenhere，withouttheadventitiousaidsoflook，andtone，andgesture，andthatineffablebutindefinitecharm，whichcastahalooverallhedidandsaid，andwhichwouldhavemadeitadelighttolookinhisface，andhear。themusicofhisvoice，ifhehadbeentalkingpositivenonsense——andwhich，moreover，mademefeelsobitteragainstmyauntwhensheputastoptothisenjoyment，bycomingcomposedlyforward，underpretenceofwishingtoseethedrawings，thatshecaredandknewnothingabout，andwhilemakingbelievetoexaminethem，addressingherselftoMrHuntingdon，withoneofhercoldestandmostrepellentaspects，andbeginningaseriesofthemostcommonplaceandformidablyformalquestionsandobservations，onpurposetowresthisattentionfromme——onpurposetovexme，asIthought：andhavingnowlookedthroughtheportfolio，Ileftthemtotheirtê；te-à；-tê；te，andseatedmyselfonasofa，quiteapartfromthecompany——neverthinkinghowstrangesuchconductwouldappear，butmerelytoindulge，atfirst，thevexationofthemoment，andsubsequentlytoenjoymyprivatethoughts。
