You are not children now, you know. Were you to renew that
intimacy, you might be tempted to fall in love with her. I don't say
you would be so mad, for you are a sensible boy; but still, after that
little business in the wood--"
"But suppose I did fall in love with her?"
"Then that would be a great misfortune. Don't you know that her father
is my enemy? If you were to make any advances to that young lady, he
would seize the opportunity to affront you, and me through you."
This silenced Compton, for he was an obedient youth.
But in the evening he got to his mother and coaxed her to take his
part.
Now Lady Bassett felt the truth of all her husband had said; but she
had a positive wish the young people should be on friendly terms, at
all events; she wanted the family feud to die with the generation it
had afflicted. She promised, therefore, to speak to Sir Charles; and so
great was her influence that she actually obtained terms for Compton:
he might speak to Miss Bassett, if he would realize the whole
situation, and be very discreet, and not revive that absurd familiarity
into which, their childhood had been betrayed.
She communicated this to him, and warned him at the same time that even
this concession had been granted somewhat reluctantly, and in
consideration of his invariable good conduct; it would be immediately
withdrawn upon the slightest indiscretion.
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