Yet, after all, such a match was as obvious and suitable as if it
had been a family compact, and the only objection was the youth of
the parties. Mrs. Fordyce would fain have believed her daughter's
heart to be not yet awake, and was grieved to find childhood over,
and the hero of romance become the lover; and she was anxious that
full time should be given to perceive whether her daughter's
feelings were only the result of the dazzling aureole which
gratitude and excited fancy had cast around the fine, handsome,
winning youth. Her husband, however, who had himself married very
young, and was greatly taken with Griff, besides being always
tender-hearted, did not enter into her scruples; but, as we had
already found out, the grand-looking and clever man of thirty-eight
was, chiefly from his impulsiveness and good-nature, treated as the
boy of the family. His old father, too, was greatly pleased with
Griff's spirit, affection, and purpose, as well as with my father's
conduct in the matter; and so, after a succession of private
interviews, very tantalising to us poor outsiders, it was conceded
that though an engagement for the present was preposterous, it might
possibly be permitted when Ellen was eighteen if Griff had completed
his university life with full credit. He was fervently grateful to
have such an object set before him, and my father was warmly
thankful for the stimulus.
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