'It was very inconsiderate of my brother,' resumed Madame Cheron, 'to
leave the trouble of overlooking your conduct to me; I wish you was
well settled in life. But if I find, that I am to be further
troubled with such visitors as this M. Valancourt, I shall place you
in a convent at once;--so remember the alternative. This young man
has the impertinence to own to me,--he owns it! that his fortune is
very small, and that he is chiefly dependent on an elder brother and
on the profession he has chosen! He should have concealed these
circumstances, at least, if he expected to succeed with me. Had he
the presumption to suppose I would marry my niece to a person such as
he describes himself!'
Emily dried her tears when she heard of the candid confession of
Valancourt; and, though the circumstances it discovered were
afflicting to her hopes, his artless conduct gave her a degree of
pleasure, that overcame every other emotion. But she was compelled,
even thus early in life, to observe, that good sense and noble
integrity are not always sufficient to cope with folly and narrow
cunning; and her heart was pure enough to allow her, even at this
trying moment, to look with more pride on the defeat of the former,
than with mortification on the conquests of the latter.
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