But he altogether failed in his attempts to induce her to go to the breakfast.
The great contest was between the mother and the daughter; but in all that passed between them no reference was even made to the banquet.

As to that Hester was indifferent.

She thought, on the whole, that her mother would do best to be absent.

After all, what is a breakfast;--or what the significance of any merry-meeting, even for a wedding?
There would no doubt be much said and much done on such an occasion at variance with her mother's feelings.

Even the enforced gaiety of the dresses would be distasteful to her, and there would hardly be sufficient cause for pressing her to be present on such an occasion.