His mother had gone out of her way to extract this promise from Marie, and she must therefore attach a great deal of importance to it. Marie had attributed a cause quite opposite to the real one for the change which had come over him in the railway-carriage. If she had not noticed that change, or if she had not misinterpreted it, matters might not be in their present hopeless condition. Nevill had said last night that he would make an effort to mend the situation. But what could Nevill do?
When he, Osborne, arrived at Stratford, he would have gladly shut his eyes to his own spiritual condition and married Marie. But this promise to his mother looked a fatal barrier. In that promise, extracted from Marie in the cathedral, he might, when the first shock had passed, have easily agreed that the pledge was never intended to apply to him, and that in keeping the letter she might break the spirit of that pledge.
In the present case there was no such loophole. Marie had made a clear definite promise not to name the day for their marriage, should George return to the scepticism to which he had given way of late. It was true, if this were merely a legal question, there were two points which might make that promise inoperative. First, he had never abandoned his doubts, and therefore could not be said to go back to them. Second, the day had been fixed before he knew anything of Marie's promise. But of course, in conscience, neither of these points would hold for an instant.
What should he do now? Could he do anything? Of course he could marry the girl, in spite of his mother. But could he marry her with ease to his own mind in spite of her promise? That was the question which perplexed him. Could he ask her to break her deliberate promise, in order that she might by his side run the risk of infidelity? He knew not one man in a thousand would hesitate a moment. He knew that in ordinary cases when a man wished to make a woman his wife he thought very little of anything else than attaining his object. But he, Osborne, was not a man of that kind. The mere dread that any shadow of doubt or difficulty lay between him and her would spoil all.
His head was quite clear, but his heart was troubled sorely.