And he had told his father that he intended to ask Mabel Grex to
be his wife. He had so committed himself that the offer must now
be made. He did not specially regret that, though he wished that
he had been more reticent. 'What a fool a man is to blurt out
everything!' he said to himself. A wife would be a good thing for
him; and where could he possibly find a better wife than Mabel
Grex? In beauty she was no doubt inferior to Miss Boncassen. There
was something about Miss Boncassen which made it impossible to
forget her. But Miss Boncassen was an American, and on many
accounts out of the question. It did not occur to him that he
would fall in love with Miss Boncassen for a few weeks. No doubt
there were objections to marriage. It clipped a fellow's wings.
But then, if he were married, he might be sure that Tifto would be
laid aside. It was a great thing to have got his father's assured
consent to a marriage. It meant complete independence in money
matters.
Then his mind ran away to a review of his father's affairs. It was
a genuine trouble to him that his father should be so unhappy.
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