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THE WAYS OF THE HOUR
honesty is not one of them. He says no woman can be friendless
who has a pretty face, and a pocket full of money.”
“You can hardly call a person unfriended who has so much
money at command, John,” Anna answered with timidity; but
not without manifest interest in the subject. “A thousand dollars sounds like a large sum to me!”
“It is a good deal of money for a fee; though much more is
sometimes given. I dare say Miss Monson would have gladly
given the same to uncle Tom, if he would have taken it. Timms
told me that she proposed offering as much to him; but he
persuaded her to wait until the trial was over.”
“And where does all this money come from, John?”
“I’m sure I do not knowI am not at all in Miss Monson’s
confidence; on her pecuniary affairs, at least. She does honour
me so much as to consult me about her trial occasionally, it is
true; but to me she has never alluded to money, except to ask
me to obtain change for large notes. I do not see anything so
very wonderful in a lady’s having money. You, who are a sort
of heiress yourself, ought to know that.”
“I do not get money in thousands, I can assure you, Jack;
nor do I think that I have it to get. I believe my whole income
would not much more than meet the expenditure of this
strange woman”
“Do not call her woman, Anna; it pains me to hear you
speak of her in such terms.”
“I beg her pardon and yours, Jack; but I meant no disrespect. We are all women.”
“I know it is foolish to feel nervous on such a subject; but
I cannot help it. One connects so many ideas of vulgarity and
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
crime, with prisons, and indictments, and trials, that we are
apt to suppose all who are accused to belong to the commoner
classes. Such is not the fact with Miss Monson, I can assure
you. Not even Sarahnay, not even yourself, my dear Anna, can
pretend to more decided marks of refinement and education. I
do not know a more distinguished young woman”
“There, Jack; now you call her a woman yourself,” interrupted Anna, a little archly; secretly delighted at the compliment she had just heard.
“Young woman anybody can say that, you know, without
implying anything common or vulgar; and woman too, sometimes. I do not know how it was; but I did not exactly like the
word as you happened to use it. I believe close and long watching is making me nervous; and I am not quite as much myself
as usual.”
Anna gave a very soft sigh, and that seemed to afford her
relief, though it was scarcely audible; then she continued the
subject.
“How old is this extraordinary young lady?” she demanded,
scarce speaking loud enough to be heard.
“Old! How can I tell? She is very youthful in appearance;
but, from the circumstance of her having so much money at
command, I take it for granted she is of age. The law now gives
to every woman the full command of all her property, even
though married, after she become of age.”
“Which I trust you find a very proper attention to the rights
of our sex!”
“I care very little about it; though Uncle Tom says it is of a
piece with all our late New York legislation.” “Mr. Dunscomb,
like most elderly persons, has little taste for change.”
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THE WAYS OF THE HOUR
“It is not that. He thinks that minds of an ordinary stamp
are running away with the conceit that they are on the road
of progress; and that most of our recent improvements, as they
are called, are marked by empiricism. This tea – cup law,’ as he
terms it, will set the women above their husbands, and create
two sets of interests where there ought to be but one.”
“Yes; I am aware such is his opinion. He remarked, the day
he brought home my mother’s settlement for the signatures,
that it was the most ticklish part of his profession to prepare
such papers. I remember one of his observations, which struck
me as being very just.”
“Which you mean to repeat to me, Anna?”
“Certainly, John, if you wish to hear it,” returned a gentle
voice, coming from one unaccustomed to refuse any of the reasonable requests of this particular applicant. “The remark of
Mr. Dunscomb was this: He said that most family misunderstandings grew out of money; and he thought it unwise to set
it up as a bone of contention between man and wife. Where
there was so close a union in all other matters, he thought
there might safely be a community of interests in this respect.
He saw no sufficient reason for altering the old law, which had
the great merit of having been tried.”
“He could hardly persuade rich fathers, and vigilant guardians, who have the interests of heiresses to look after, to subscribe to all his notions. They say that it is better to make a
provision against imprudence and misfortune, by settling a
woman’s fortune on herself, in a country where speculation
tempts so many to their ruin.”
“I do not object to anything that may have an eye to an
evil day, provided it be done openly and honestly. But the in-
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
come should be common property, and like all that belongs to
a family, should pass under the control of its head.”
“It is very liberal in you to say and think this, Anna!”
“It is what every woman, who has a true woman’s heart,
could wish, and would do. For myself, I would marry no man
whom I did not respect and look up to in most things; and
surely, if I gave him my heart and my hand, I could wish to give
him as much control over my means as circumstances would
at all allow. It might be prudent to provide against misfortune
by means of settlements; but this much done, I feel certain it
would afford me the greatest delight to commit all that I could
to a husband’s keeping.”
“Suppose that husband were a spendthrift, and wasted
your estate?”
“He could waste but the income, were there a settlement;
and I would rather share the consequences of his imprudence
with him, than sit aloof in selfish enjoyment of that in which
he did not partake.”
All this sounded very well in John’s ears; and he knew Anna
Updyke too well to suppose she did not fully mean all that she
said. He wondered what might be Mary Monson’s views on
this subject.
“It is possible for the husband to partake of the wife’s
wealth, even when he does not command it,” the young man
resumed, anxious to hear what more Anna might have to say.
“What! as a dependant on her bounty? No woman who respects herself could wish to see her husband so degarded; nay,
no female, who has a true woman’s heart, would ever consent
to place the man to whom she has given her hand, in so false
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THE WAYS OF THE HOUR
a position. It is for the woman to be dependent on the man,
and not the man on the woman. I agree fully with Mr. Dunscomb, when he says that `silken knots are too delicate to be
rudely undone by dollars.’ The family in which the head has to
ask the wife for the money that is to support it, must soon go
wrong; as it is placing the weaker vessel uppermost.”
“You would make a capital wife, Anna, if these are really
your opinions!”
Anna blushed, and almost repented of her generous
warmth; but, being perfectly sincere, she would not deny her
sentiments.
“They ought to be the opinion of every wife,” she answered.
“I could not endure to see the man to whom I could wish on all
occasions to look up, soliciting the means on which we both
subsisted. It would be my delight, if I had money and he had
none, to pour all into his lap, and then come and ask of him as
much as was necessary to my comfort.”
“If he had the soul of a man he would not wait to be asked,
but would endeavour to anticipate your smallest wants. I believe you are right, and that happiness is best secured by confidence.”
“And in not reversing the laws of nature. Why do women
vow to obey and honour their husbands, if they are to retain
them as dependants? I declare, John Wilmeter, I should almost
despise the man who could consent to live with me on any
terms but those in which nature, the church, and reason, unite
in telling us he ought to be the superior.”
“Well, Anna, this is good, old – fashioned, womanly sentiment; and I will confess it delights me to hear it from you. I am
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
the better pleased, because, as Uncle Tom is always complaining, the weakness of the hour is to place your sex above ours,
and to reverse all the ancient rules in this respect. Let a woman, now – a – days, run away from her husband, and carry off
the children; it is ten to one but some crotchety judge, who
thinks more of a character built up on gossip than of deferring
properly to that which the laws of God and the wisdom of man
have decreed, refuse to issue a writ of habeas corpus to restore
the issue to the parent.”
“I do not know, John,” Anna hesitatingly rejoined, with a
true woman’s instinct”it would be so hard to rob a mother of
her children!”
“It might be hard, but in such a case it would be just. I like
that word `rob,’ for it suits both parties. To me, it seems that
the father is the party robbed, when the wife not only steals
away from her duty to her husband, but deprives him of his
children too.”
“It is wrong, and I have heard Mr. Dunscomb express great
indignation at what he called the `soft – soapiness’ of certain
judges in cases of this nature. Still, John, the world is apt to
think a woman would not abandon the most sacred of her
duties without a cause. That feeling must be at the bottom of
what you call the decision, I believe, of these judges.”
“If there be such a cause as would justify a woman in deserting her husband, and in stealing his children for it is robbery after all, and robbery of the worst sort, since it involves
breaches of faith of the most heinous nature let that cause be
shown, that justice may pronounce between the parties. Besides, it is not true that women will not sometimes forget their
duties without sufficient cause. There are capricious, and un-
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THE WAYS OF THE HOUR
certain, and egotistical women, who follow their own wayward
inclinations, as well as selfish men. Some women love power
intensely, and are never satisfied with simply filling the place
that was intended for them by nature. It is hard for such to
submit to their husbands, or, indeed, to submit to any one.”
“It must be a strange female,” answered Anna, gently, “who
cannot suffer the control of the man of her choice, after quitting father and mother for his sake.”
“Different women have different sources of pride, that
make their husbands very uncomfortable, even when they
remain with them, and affect to discharge their duties. One
will pride herself on family, and take every occasion to let her
beloved partner know how much better she is connected than
he may happen to be; another is conceited, and fancies herself
cleverer than her lord and master, and would fain have him
take take her advice on all occasions; while a third may have
the most money, and delight in letting it be known that it is
her pocket that sustains the household.”
“I did not know, John, that you thought so much of these
things,” said Anna, laughing; “though I think you are very
right in your opinions. Pray, which of the three evils that you
have mentioned would you conceive the greatest?”
“The second. I might stand family pride; though it is disgusting when it is not ridiculous. Then the money might be
got along with for its own sake, provided the purse were in my
hand; but I really do not think I could live with a woman who
fancied she knew the most.”
“But, in many things, women ought to, and do know the
most.”
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
“Oh! as to accomplishments, and small talk, and making
preserves, and dancing, and even poetry and religion yes, I will
throw in religionI could wish my wife to be clever very clever
as clever as you are yourself, Anna” The fair listener coloured,
though her eyes brightened at this unintended bat very direct compliment “Yes, yes; all that would do well enough. But
when it came to the affairs of men, out – of – door concerns,
or politics, or law, or anything, indeed, that called for a masculine education and understanding, I could not endure a woman who fancied she knew the most.”
“I should think few wives would dream of troubling their
husbands with their opinions touching the law!”
“I don’t know that. You’ve no notion, Anna, to what pass
conceit can carry a person; you, who are so diffident and shy,
and always so ready to yield to those who ought to know best.
I’ve met with women who, not content with arraying their own
charms in their own way, must fancy they can teach us how to
put on our clothes, tell us how to turn over a wristband, or
settle a shirt – collar!”
“This is not conceit, John, but good taste,” cried Anna, now
laughing outright, and appearing herself again. “It is merely
female tact teaching male awkwardness how to adorn itself.
But, surely, no woman, John, would bother herself about law,
let her love of domination be as strong as it might.”
“I’m not so sure of that. The only really complaisant thing
I ever saw about this Mary Monson” a cloud again passed
athwart the bright countenance of Anna”was a sort of strange
predilection for law. Even Timms has remarked it, and commented on it too.”
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THE WAYS OF THE HOUR
“The poor woman”
“Do not use that word in speaking of her, if you please,
Anna.” “Well, lady if you like that better”
“No say young lady or Miss Monson or Mary, which has the
most agreeable sound of all.” “Yet, I think I have been told that
none of you believe she has been indicted by her real name.”
“Very true; but it makes no difference. Call her by that she
has assumed; but do not call her by an alias as wretched as that
of poor woman.”’
“I meant no slight, I do assure you, John; for I feel almost
as much interest in Miss Monson as you do yourself. It is not
surprising, however, that one in her situation should feel an
interest in the law.”
“It is not this sort of interest that I mean. It has seemed to
me, once or twice, that she dealt with the difficulties of her own
case as if she took a pleasure in meeting them had a species of
professional pleasure in conquering them. Timms will not let
me into his secrets, and I am glad of it, for I fancy all of them
would not bear the light; but he tells me, honestly, that some
of Miss Monson’s suggestions have been quite admirable!”
“Perhaps she has been” Anna checked herself with the
consciousness that what she was about to utter might appear
to be, and what was of still greater importance in her own eyes,
might really be, ungenerous.
“Perhaps what? Finish the sentence, I beg of you.” Anna
shook her head.
“You intended to say that perhaps Miss Monson had some
experience in the law, and that it gave her a certain satisfac-
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
tion to contend with its difficulties, in consequence of previous training. Am I not right?”
Anna would not answer in terms; but she gave a little nod
in assent, colouring scarlet.
“I knew it; and I will be frank enough to own that Timms
thinks the same thing. He has hinted as much as that; but the
thing is impossible. You have only to look at her, to see that
such a thing is impossible.”
Anna Updyke thought that almost anything of the sort
might be possible to a female who was in the circumstances
of the accused; this, however, she would not say, lest it might
wound John’s feelings, for which she had all the tenderness of
warm affection, and a woman’s self – denial. Had the case been
reversed, it is by no means probable that her impulsive companion would have manifested the same forbearance on her
account. John would have contended for victory, and pressed
his adversary with all the arguments, facts and reasons he
could muster, on such an occasion. Not so with the gentler and
more thoughtful young woman who was now walking quietly,
and a little sadly, at his side, instinct with all the gentleness,
self – denial, and warm – hearted affection of her sex.
“No, it is worse than an absurdity” resumed John “it is cruel, to imagine anything of the sort of Miss By the way, Anna,
do you know that a very singular thing occurred last evening,
before I drove over to town, to be present at the wedding. You
know Marie Mill?”
“Certainly Marie Moulin, you should say.”
“Well, in answering one of her mistress’s questions, she
said `oui, Madame.”’ “What would you have had her say? `non,
Madame?”’
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