He would have preferred a
man of title, but the peers who were not penniless were too proud; and
the best baronet was an aged bankrupt, who had been twice through the
courts, and enjoyed an indifferent name. It was strange that Isabel
did not cut the Gordian knot, and choose for herself; but she was a
dutiful daughter, and little less cautious than her father. In the
midst of it all he was called away on some particular business of his
own--to another world--and Isabel was left alone, past thirty, and
unmarried still.
The _role_ of single blessedness may be charming to a man of means,
but it is often extremely irksome to an heiress in her own right. Miss
Purling was like a pigeon that escapes from the inclosure at a
match--an aim for every gun around. Great ladies took her up, as a
kindness to their younger sons; briefless barristers, with visions of
the Woolsack, besought her to help them to the first step--a seat in
the House; clergymen with great views prayed her to join them in some
stupendous charitable work, that must win for them the lawn-sleeves;
more than one impecunious soldier pleaded with her for their tailors,
whose bills without her help they were quite unable to pay. She seemed
a common prey, fair game for every hand. This developed in her an
undue amount of suspicion and a certain hardness of heart.
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