Townsend's call--a proceeding by which it appeared to him (justly
perhaps, for he was a very busy man) that he paid Catherine's suitor
great honour, and gave both these young people so much the less to
complain of. Morris presented himself with a countenance
sufficiently serene--he appeared to have forgotten the "insult" for
which he had solicited Catherine's sympathy two evenings before, and
Dr. Sloper lost no time in letting him know that he had been prepared
for his visit.
"Catherine told me yesterday what has been going on between you," he
said. "You must allow me to say that it would have been becoming of
you to give me notice of your intentions before they had gone so
far."
"I should have done so," Morris answered, "if you had not had so much
the appearance of leaving your daughter at liberty. She seems to me
quite her own mistress."
"Literally, she is. But she has not emancipated herself morally
quite so far, I trust, as to choose a husband without consulting me.
I have left her at liberty, but I have not been in the least
indifferent. The truth is that your little affair has come to a head
with a rapidity that surprises me. It was only the other day that
Catherine made your acquaintance."
"It was not long ago, certainly," said Morris, with great gravity.
"I admit that we have not been slow to--to arrive at an
understanding. But that was very natural, from the moment we were
sure of ourselves--and of each other.
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