The end united them. But after Florence had broken away from the
toils they had been throwing around her, and they became satisfied
from the strong independent letters which she sent home, that all
hope of bending her to their wishes was at an end, the true
character of each began to show itself more fully.

Mrs. Linden had an imperious will. She had always exercised over her
children a rigid control, at the same time that in their earlier
years she had won their affections. The freedom of mature years, and
the sense of individual responsibility which it brings, caused all
of them to rebel against the continued exercise of parental
domination. In the case of Charles and Florence, the effect was a
broad separation. William had sinister ends to gain in yielding a
passive obedience to his mother's will. When the bulk of her
property was transferred to him, those ends were gained, and he felt
no longer disposed to suffer any encroachment upon his freedom. In
one act of obedience he had fulfilled all obligations of filial
duty, and was not disposed to trouble himself further. He had
consented to give up his father's name, and to marry a woman for
whom he had no affection, to please his mother and get an estate.
The estate set off against these balanced the account; and now,
there being nothing more to gain, he had nothing more to yield.
When, therefore, after the design of marrying Florence to a man of
"good family" had failed, the first effort on the part of his mother
to exercise control over him was met in a very decided way. His
wife, likewise, showed a disposition to make her keep in her own
place. She was mistress in the house now, and she let it be clearly
seen. It was not long before the mother's eyes were fully open to
the folly she had committed. But true sight had come too late.