7

The intermediary had undertaken the assignment because he had a sister in the west wing of the governor's mansion. He was not personally acquainted with the governor. He marched directly into the governor,s quarters all the same.

“There is something we ought to discuss.”

“I'd heard about you and your visits.” The governor's manner was not friendly. “But I don't recall ever inviting you.”

“I am here at the request of the guards lieutenant.”

The governor consented to an interview. The man edged closer, as if finding the matter hard to broach.

“For quite a while now he has been in touch with your lady. They had arranged for him to marry her daughter. They had even picked a lucky day. He is an impatient man. But then someone, I don't know just exactly who, seems to have told him that the girl is your wife's daughter but not yours. It wouldn't look good, you know, for him to marry a governor's stepdaughter. Everyone would say it didn't seem to matter to him what he got. When fine gentlemen marry governors' daughters, it's to have the backing of their fathers-in-law, to be treated like their own prized sons. When there seems like a good chance of it, then that sort of marriage can sometimes be arranged. But what would be the point otherwise? What would be the point if the man found that his father-in-law, the governor, hardly recognized him, treated him like the last and smallest of them all? People have been saying things, and he is upset. He tells me he hit on you immediately, sir, because His Majesty himself had spoken of the brilliance and solidity of your house, and so he asked me to approach you. He had not known, he tells me, that one of the young ladies was not your daughter. And now, seeing that you have so many daughters—yes, we know they are very young—but seeing you have so many, he would like to go back to his very first hope, and would be pleased if he might have your cooperation. He asked me to sound you out.”

“I hadn't heard in any detail what he had in mind. The girl is treated exactly like any daughter of my own. But it's true that I have several other silly girls, and I'm not very good at these things, and it's more than I can do to look after them all. So her mother has the notion that I treat the girl like an outsider, and she's always complaining, and I have no say in the girl,s affairs. I heard that something was going on—but that the young gentleman should be looking to me for support—well, I am delighted. I have a daughter I'm fond of. More than fond of—I'd give my life for her. She's had proposals, but I haven't been able to make up my mind. The reports I get about the younger generation aren't good, and I've been thinking my best might not be enough to make her happy. Day and night I ask myself how I'm to go about finding a good, safe man for her. I know the lieutenant. When I was young I worked for his father, the general, now deceased. I could see from close up what a fine, talented boy he was. I hoped I might work for him too someday.* But then I was away in the provinces all those years, and since I've been back I've been shy about making friends again. I'm very glad to hear how he feels about me. Why, I could let him have my girl tomorrow. The only trouble is I wouldn't want her mother to think I'm trying to snatch a husband away from the other girl.”