Then his daughter--his
favorite child--his constant playmate--seemed formed to live happy in
a union with such a commanding spirit as Ravenswood; and even the fine,
delicate, fragile form of Lucy Ashton seemed to require the support of
the Master's muscular strength and masculine character. And it was not
merely during a few minutes that Sir William Ashton looked upon their
marriage as a probable and even desirable event, for a full hour
intervened ere his imagination was crossed by recollection of the
Master's poverty, and the sure displeasure of Lady Ashton. It is
certain, that the very unusual flow of kindly feeling with which the
Lord Keeper had been thus surprised, was one of the circumstances which
gave much tacit encouragement to the attachment between the Master and
his daughter, and led both the lovers distinctly to believe that it
was a connexion which would be most agreeable to him. He himself
was supposed to have admitted this in effect, when, long after
the catastrophe of their love, he used to warn his hearers against
permitting their feelings to obtain an ascendency over their judgment,
and affirm, that the greatest misfortune of his life was owing to a
very temporary predominance of sensibility over self-interest.
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