Almond; "I only
believe in good ones. If he marries her, and she comes into Austin's
money, they may get on. He will be an idle, amiable, selfish, and
doubtless tolerably good-natured fellow. But if she doesn't get the
money and he finds himself tied to her, Heaven have mercy on her! He
will have none. He will hate her for his disappointment, and take
his revenge; he will be pitiless and cruel. Woe betide poor
Catherine! I recommend you to talk a little with his sister; it's a
pity Catherine can't marry HER!"
Mrs. Penniman had no appetite whatever for conversation with Mrs.
Montgomery, whose acquaintance she made no trouble to cultivate; and
the effect of this alarming forecast of her niece's destiny was to
make her think it indeed a thousand pities that Mr. Townsend's
generous nature should be embittered. Bright enjoyment was his
natural element, and how could he be comfortable if there should
prove to be nothing to enjoy? It became a fixed idea with Mrs.
Penniman that he should yet enjoy her brother's fortune, on which she
had acuteness enough to perceive that her own claim was small.
"If he doesn't leave it to Catherine, it certainly won't be to leave
it to me," she said.
CHAPTER XXIV
The Doctor, during the first six months he was abroad, never spoke to
his daughter of their little difference; partly on system, and partly
because he had a great many other things to think about.
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