He had never regarded Antony as a man of
moral courage, or even of inflexible moral principles, and he failed
to see how Antony's affairs should have the power to overthrow his
plans. But Elizabeth positively forbid him to come; positively asserted
that her marriage, at a time of such public shame and disapproval,
would be a thing impossible to contemplate. She said that she herself
had no desire for it, and that every instinct of her nature forbid
her to run away from her painful position, and thus incur the charge
of cowardice which had been so freely attached to Antony. It was true
that the positive sternness of these truths were softened by a
despairing tenderness, a depth of sorrow and disappointment, and an
avowal of undying love and truth which it was impossible to doubt. But
this was small comfort to the young man. His first impulse was one of
extreme weariness of the whole affair. He had been put off from year to
year, until he felt it a humiliation to accept any further excuses. And
this time his humiliation would in a measure be a public one. His
preparations for marriage were widely known, for he had spoken freely
to his friends of the event. He had spent a large sum of money in
adding to and in decorating his home. It was altogether a climax of
the most painful nature to him.
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