Anthony Trollope: The Belton Estate

9. CHAPTER IX: CAPTAIN AYLMER'S PROMISE TO HIS AUNT (continued)

'And you would find him about the best.'

'Mr Possitt has been with me twice whilst you were away, and he, too, asked what you meant to do about the house.'

'And what did you say?'

'What could I say? Of course I said I did not know. I suppose he was meditating whether you would live here and ask him to dinner on Sundays!'

'Mr Possitt is a very good sort of man,' said the captain, gravely for Captain Aylmer, in the carrying out of his principles, always spoke seriously of everything connected with the Church in Perivale.

'And quite worthy to be asked to dinner on Sundays,' said Clara. 'But I did not give him any hope. How could I? Of course I knew that you would not live here, though I did not tell him so.'

'No; I don't suppose I shall. But I see very plainly that you think I ought to do so.'

'I've the old-fashioned idea as to a man's living near to his own property; that is all. No doubt it was good for other people in Perivale, besides Mr Possitt, that my dear aunt lived here; and if the house is shut up, or let to some stranger, they will feel her loss the more. But I don't know that you are bound to sacrifice yourself to them.'

'If I were to marry,' said Captain Aylmer, very slowly and in a low voice, 'of course I should have to think of my wife's wishes.'

'But if your wife, when she accepted you, knew that you were living here, she would hardly take upon herself to demand that you should give up your residence.'

'She might find it very dull.'

'She would make her own calculations as to that before she accepted you.'