"But always think most about the latter, my dear. Think about the
happiness of those around you, and your own will come without
thinking. You understand that; do you not?"
"Oh, yes, I understand," she said. As they were speaking Mr. Harding
still held her hand, but Griselda left it with him unwillingly, and
therefore ungraciously, looking as though she were dragging it from
him.
"And Grizzy--I believe it is quite as easy for a rich countess to be
happy, as for a dairymaid--" Griselda gave her head a little chuck
which was produced by two different operations of her mind. The first
was a reflection that her grandpapa was robbing her of her rank. She
was to be a rich marchioness. And the second was a feeling of anger
at the old man for comparing her lot to that of a dairymaid.
"Quite as easy, I believe," continued he; "though others will tell
you that it is not so. But with the countess as with the dairymaid,
it must depend on the woman herself. Being a countess--that fact
alone won't make you happy."
"Lord Dumbello at present is only a viscount," said Griselda. "There
is no earl's title in the family."
"Oh! I did not know," said Mr. Harding, relinquishing his
granddaughter's hand; and, after that, he troubled her with no
further advice.
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