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JOHN CALDIGATE
on his legs. No doubt, he has lived with rough people, but still
he seems to be a gentleman. Hester will be well off, no doubt,
some day.’
‘She will have something — something,’ said the old man.
‘But this suitor asks for nothing. It is not as though he
were coming to you to prop him up in the world. It does not
look like that at least. Of course, we ought to make inquiry
as to his means.’
‘The mortgage has been paid off.’
‘So much we know, and the rest may be found out. I do
not mean at all to say that he should be allowed to have his
own way. I think too much of my sister for that. But, in this
matter, we ought to regard simply her happiness and her welfare; — and in considering that you ought to be prepared for
her coming marriage. You may take it for granted that she will
choose to give herself, sooner or later, to some man. Give a girl
good looks, and good sense, and good health, and she is sure to
wish to be some man’s wife — unless she be deterred by some
conventual superstition.’
If there were any words capable of conveying horror to
the mind of the old banker, they were convents, priests, and
papacy — of which the lawyer was well aware when speaking thus of his sister. Mrs. Bolton was certainly not addicted to
papistical observances, nor was she at all likely to recommend
the seclusion of her daughter in a convent. All her religious
doctrines were those of the Low Church. But she had a tendency to arrive at similar results by other means. She was so
afraid of the world, the flesh, and the devil, that she would fain
shut up her child so as to keep her from the reach of all evil.
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ANTHONY TROLLOPE
Vowed celibacy was abominable to her, because it was the resource of the Roman Catholics; and because she had been
taught to believe that convent-walls were screens for hiding
unheard-of wickedness. But yet, on behalf of her child, she desired seclusion from the world, fancying that so and so only
might security be ensured. Superstition was as strong with her
as with any self-flagellated nun. Fasting, under that name, she
held in abhorrence. But all sensual gratifications were wicked in her sight. She would allow all home indulgences to her
daughter, each under some separate plea — constrained to do
so by excessive love; but she did so always in fear and trembling, lest she was giving some foothold to Satan. All of which
Robert Bolton understood better even than did his father
when he gave the above advice in reference to this lover.
CHAPTER XIX
MEN ARE SO WICKED
A month had passed by since Caldigate’s interview with
Mrs. Bolton, and nothing had as yet been decided either for
him or against him at Chesterton And the fact that no absolute decision had been made against him may be taken as having been very much in his favour. But of those who doubted,
and doubting, had come to no decision, Mrs. Bolton herself
was by no means one. She was as firm as ever in her intention
that the idea should not even be suggested to her daughter.
Nor, up to this time, had our hero’s name been even mentioned to Hester Bolton.
About a week after Caldigate’s visit to Chesterton in the early days of August, he wrote to Robert Bolton saying that he was
going into Scotland for a month, and that he trusted that during that time his proposition might be considered. On his
return he would take the liberty of calling on Mr. Bolton at
the bank. In the meantime he hoped that inquiries might be
made as to his position in the world, and in order that such
inquiries might be effectual he gave a reference to his man of
business in London. To this letter Robert Bolton sent no answer; but he went up to London, and did make the inquiries
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ANTHONY TROLLOPE
as suggested, and consulted his brother the barrister, and his
sister-in-law the barrister’s wife. They were both of opinion
that John Caldigate was behaving well, and were of opinion
also that something should be done to liberate Hester from
the thraldom of her mother. ‘I knew how it would be when she
grew up and became a woman,’ said Mrs. William Bolton. ‘Nobody will be allowed to see her, and she won’t have a chance of
settling herself. When we asked her to come up here for
a couple of months in the season, Mrs. Bolton sent me word
that London is a terrible place for young girls — though, of
course, she knew that our own girls were being brought up
here.’ Then the ways of Mrs. Bolton at Chesterton and Hester’s
future life generally were discussed in a spirit that was by no
means unfriendly to our hero.
The suggested inquiries were made in the city, and were
all favourable. Everyone connected with the mining interests of the Australian colonies knew the name of John Caldigate. All of that class of people were well aware of his prosperity and confirmed good-fortune. He had brought with him
or sent home nobody quite knew how much money. But it
was very well known that he had left his interest in the Polyeuka mine to be sold for £60,000, and now there had come
word that a company had created itself for the sake of making the purchase, and that the money would be forthcoming.
The gentleman in the city connected with mining matters did
not think that Mr. Caldigate would be called upon to go out to
the colony again, unless he chose to do so for his own pleasure.
All this Robert Bolton learned in the City, and he learned also
that the man as to whom he was making inquiry was held in
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JOHN CALDIGATE
high esteem for honesty, perseverance, and capacity. The result of all this was that he returned to Cambridge with a feeling that his sister ought to be allowed to make the man’s acquaintance. He and his brother had agreed that something
should be done to liberate their sister from her present condition. Love on the part of a mother may be as injurious as cruelty, if the mother be both tyrannical and superstitious. While
Hester had been a child, no interference had been possible
or perhaps expedient — but the time had now come when
something ought to be done. Such having been the decision in
Harley Street, where the William Boltons lived, Robert Bolton
went back home with the intention of carrying it out.
This could only be done through the old man, and even
with him not without great care. He was devotedly attached to
his young wife; — but was very averse to having it thought
that he was ruled by her. Indeed, in all matters affecting his
establishment, his means, and his business, he would hardly
admit of interference from her at all. His worldly matters he
kept between himself and his sons. But in regard to his soul
he could not restrain her, and sometimes would hardly oppose her. The prolonged evening prayers, the sermons twice aweek, the two long church services on Sundays — indulgence
as to the third being allowed to him only on the score of his
age — he endured at her command. And in regard to Hester, he had hitherto been ruled by his wife, thinking it proper
that a daughter should be left in the hands of her mother. But
now, when he was told that if he did not interfere, his girl
would be constrained by the harsh bonds of an unnatural life,
stern as he was himself and inclined to be gloomy, little as he
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ANTHONY TROLLOPE
was disposed to admit ideas of recreation and delight, he did
acknowledge that something should be done to relieve her.
‘But when I die she must be left in her mother’s hands,’ said
the old banker.
‘It is to be hoped that she may be in other hands before
that,’ replied his son. ‘I do not mean to say anything against
my step-mother; — but for a young woman it is generally best
that she should be married. And in Hester’s peculiar position,
she ought to have the chance of choosing for herself.’
In this way something almost like a conspiracy was made
on behalf of Caldigate. And yet the old man did not as yet
abandon his prejudices against the miner. A man who had
at so early an age done so much to ruin himself, and had then
sprung so suddenly from ruin to prosperity, could not, he
thought, be regarded as a steady well-to-do man of business.
He did agree that, as regarded Hester, the prison-bars should
be removed; but he did not think that she should be invited to
walk forth with Mr. John Caldigate. Robert declared that his
sister was quite able to form an opinion of her own, and boldly
suggested that Hester should be allowed to come and dine
at his house. ‘To meet the man?’ asked the banker in dismay.
‘Yes,’ said Robert. ‘He isn’t an ogre. You needn’t be afraid of
him. I shall be there — and Margaret. Bring her yourself if you
are afraid of anything. No plant ever becomes strong by being
kept always away from the winds of heaven.’ To this he could
not assent at the time. He knew that it was impossible to assent
without consulting his wife. But he was brought so far round
as to think that if nothing but his own consent were wanting,
his girl would be allowed to go and meet the ogre.
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JOHN CALDIGATE
‘I suppose we ought to wish that Hester should be married
some day,’ he said to his wife about this time. She shuddered
and dashed her hands together as though deprecating some
evil — some event which she could hardly hope to avoid but
which was certainly an evil. ‘Do you not wish that yourself?’
She shook her head. ‘Is it not the safest condition in which
a woman can live?’
‘How shall any one be safe among the dangers of this world,
Nicholas?’ She habitually called her husband by his Christian
name, but she was the only living being who did so.
‘More safe then?’ said he. ‘It is the natural condition of
a woman.’
‘I do not know. Sin is natural.’
‘Very likely. No doubt. But marriage is not sinful.’
‘Men are so wicked.’
‘Some of them are.’
‘Where is there one that is not steeped in sin over his head?’
‘That applies to women also; doesn’t it?’ said the banker
petulantly. He was almost angry because she was introducing
a commonplace as to the world’s condition into a particular
argument as to their daughter’s future life — which he felt to
be unfair and illogical.
‘Of course it does, Nicholas. We are all black and grimed
with sin, men and women too; and perhaps something more
may be forgiven to men because they have to go out into
the world and do their work. But neither one nor the other
can be anything but foul with sin; — except — except — ’
He was quite accustomed to the religious truth which was
coming, and, in an ordinary way, did not object to the doc-
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ANTHONY TROLLOPE
trine which she was apt to preach to him often. But it had
no reference whatever to the matter now under discussion.
The general condition of things produced by the fall of Adam
could not be used as an argument against matrimony generally. Wicked as men and women are it is so evidently intended
that they should marry and multiply that even she would not
deny the general propriety of such an arrangement. Therefore when he was talking to her about their daughter, she was
ill-treating him when on that occasion she flew away to her
much-accustomed discourse.
‘What’s the use, then, of saying that men are wicked?’
‘They are. They are!’
‘Not a doubt about it. And so are the women, but they’ve
got to have husbands and wives. They wouldn’t be any the better if there were no marrying. We have to suppose that Hester
will do the same as other girls.’
‘I hope not, Nicholas.’
‘But why not?’
‘They are vain, and they adorn themselves, not in modest
apparel, as St. Paul says in First Timothy, chapter second, nor
with shame-facedness and sobriety but with braided hair and
gold and pearls and costly array.’
‘What has that to do with it?’
‘Oh, Nicholas!’
‘She might be married without all those things.’
‘You said you wanted her to be like other girls.’
‘No, I didn’t. I said she would have to get married like other
girls. You don’t want to make a nun of her.’
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JOHN CALDIGATE
‘A nun! I would sooner sit by her bedside and watch her
die! My Hester a nun!’
‘Very well, then. Let her go out into the world — ’
‘The world, Nicholas! The world, the flesh, and the devil!
Do they not always go together?’
He was much harassed and very angry. He knew how unreasonable she was, and yet he did not know how to answer
her. And she was dishonest with him. Because she felt herself
unable to advocate in plain terms a thorough shutting up of
her daughter — a protecting of her from the temptation of
sin by absolute and prolonged sequestration — therefore she
equivocated with him, pretending to think that he was desirous of sending his girl out to have her hair braided and herself
arrayed in gold and pearls. It was thoroughly dishonest, and he
understood the dishonesty. ‘She must go somewhere,’ he said,
rising from his chair and closing the conversation. At this time
a month had passed since Caldigate had been at Chesterton,
and he had now returned from Scotland to Folking.
On the following day Hester was taken out to dinner
at The Nurseries, as Robert Bolton’s house was called — was
taken out by her father. This was quite a new experiment, as
she had never dined with any of her aunts and cousins except
at an early dinner almost as a child — and even as a child not
at her brother Robert’s. But the banker, after having declared
that she must go somewhere, had persisted. It is not to be supposed that Caldigate was on this occasion invited to meet
her; — nor that the father had as yet agreed that any such
meeting should be allowed. But as William Bolton — the London brother — and Mrs. William and one of their girls were
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ANTHONY TROLLOPE
down at Cambridge, it was arranged that Hester should meet
her relatives. Even so much as this was not settled without
much opposition on the part of Hester’s mother.
There was nobody at the house but members of the family. The old banker’s oldest son Nicholas was not there as his
wife and Mrs. Robert did not get on well together. Mrs. Nicholas was almost as strict as Mrs. Bolton herself, and, having
no children of her own, would not have sympathised at all in
any desire to procure for Hester the wicked luxury of a lover.
The second son Daniel joined the party with his wife, but he
had married too late to have grown-up children. His wife was
strict too — but of a medium strictness. Teas, concerts, and occasional dinner parties were with her permissible; — as were
also ribbons and a certain amount of costly array. Mrs. Nicholas was in the habit of telling Mrs. Daniel that you cannot
touch pitch and not be defiled — generally intending to imply
that Mrs. Robert was the pitch; and would harp on the impossibility of serving both God and mammon, thinking perhaps
that her brother-in-law Robert and mammon were one and
the same. But Daniel, who could go to church as often as any
man on Sundays, and had thoroughly acquired for himself
the reputation of a religious man of business, had his own ideas
as to proprieties and expediencies, and would neither quarrel with his brother Robert, or allow his wife to quarrel with
Mrs. Robert. So that the Nicholases lived very much alone.
Mrs. Nicholas and Mrs. Bolton might have suited each other,
might have been congenial and a comfort each to the other,
but the elder son and the elder son’s wife had endeavoured to
prevent the old man’s second marriage, and there had never
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