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When Mr . Trumbull had departed with a fine bow , Solomon , leaning forward , observed to his sister , “ You may depend , Jane , my brother has left that girl a lumping sum . ” “ Anybody would think so , from the way Mr . Trumbull talks , ” said Jane . Then , after a pause , “ He talks as if my daughters wasn’t to be trusted to give drops . ” “ Auctioneers talk wild , ” said Solomon . “ Not but what Trumbull has made money . ” CHAPTER XXXIII . “ Close up his eyes and draw the curtain close ; And let us all to meditation . ” — 2 Henry VI . That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr . Featherstone’s room , and sat there alone through the small hours . She often chose this task , in which she found some pleasure , notwithstanding the old man’s testiness whenever he demanded her attentions . There were intervals in which she could sit perfectly still , enjoying the outer stillness and the subdued light . The red fire with its gently audible movement seemed like a solemn existence calmly independent of the petty passions , the imbecile desires , the straining after worthless uncertainties , which were daily moving her contempt . Mary was fond of her own thoughts , and could amuse herself well sitting in twilight with her hands in her lap ; for , having early had strong reason to believe that things were not likely to be arranged for her peculiar satisfaction , she wasted no time in astonishment and annoyance at that fact . And she had already come to take life very much as a comedy in which she had a proud , nay , a generous resolution not to act the mean or treacherous part . Mary might have become cynical if she had not had parents whom she honored , and a well of affectionate gratitude within her , which was all the fuller because she had learned to make no unreasonable claims . She sat to - night revolving , as she was wont , the scenes of the day , her lips often curling with amusement at the oddities to which her fancy added fresh drollery : people were so ridiculous with their illusions , carrying their fool’s caps unawares , thinking their own lies opaque while everybody else’s were transparent , making themselves exceptions to everything , as if when all the world looked yellow under a lamp they alone were rosy . Yet there were some illusions under Mary’s eyes which were not quite comic to her . She was secretly convinced , though she had no other grounds than her close observation of old Featherstone’s nature , that in spite of his fondness for having the Vincys about him , they were as likely to be disappointed as any of the relations whom he kept at a distance . She had a good deal of disdain for Mrs . Vincy’s evident alarm lest she and Fred should be alone together , but it did not hinder her from thinking anxiously of the way in which Fred would be affected , if it should turn out that his uncle had left him as poor as ever . She could make a butt of Fred when he was present , but she did not enjoy his follies when he was absent .
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