Janet honestly had a certain enthusiasm
for science, beneficence, and the honour of the family, but the
Professor besieged Mrs. Brownlow with his entreaties and promises
just as if—-she said to herself—-she had been the widow of some quack
doctor for whose secret he was bidding.
If she would only grant it to him and continue her allowance to Janet
while he was pursuing it, then, there would be no limit to the share
he would give her when the returns came in. It was exceedingly hard
to answer without absolutely insulting him, but she entrenched
herself in the declaration that her husband's conditions required a
full diploma and degree, and that till all her sons were grown up she
had been forbidden to dispose of it otherwise. Very thankful she was
that Armine was not seventeen, when a whole portfolio of testimonials
in all sorts of languages were unfolded before her! Whatever she had
ever said of Ellen's insular prejudices, she felt that she herself
might deserve, for she viewed them all as utterly worthless compared
with an honest English or Scottish degree. At any rate, she could
not judge of their value, and they did not fulfil her conditions.
She made him understand at last that she was absolutely impractic-
able, and that the only distant hope she would allow to be wrung from
her by his coaxing, wheedling tones, soft as the honey of Hybla, was,
that if none of her sons or nephews were in the way of fulfilling the
conditions, and he could bring her satisfactory English certificates,
she might consider the matter, but she made no promises.
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