If he means that I am to write to him and say that I'm sorry for offending him, I won't.Don't talk of him any more.It makes me so angry that I sometimes feel inclined to do things which I know I should repent when dying.'
'Not anything to injure Everett, papa?'
'I wonder whether he ever thinks that I am an old man and all alone, and that his brother-in-law is daily with me.But he's a fool, and thinks of nothing.I know it is very sad being here night after night by myself.' Mr Wharton forgot, no doubt, at the moment, that he passed the majority of his evenings at the Eldon,--though had he been reminded of it, he might have declared with perfect truth that the delights of his club were not satisfactory.
'Papa,' said Emily, 'would you like us to come and live here?'
'What,--you and Lopez;--here in the Square?'
'Yes,--for a time.He is thinking of giving up the place in Belgrave Mansions.'
'I thought he had them for,--for ever so many months.'
'He does not like them, and they are expensive, and he can give them up.If you would wish it, we would come here,--for a time.'
He turned round and looked at her almost suspiciously; and she,--she blushed as she remembered how accurately she was obeying her husband's orders.'It would be such a joy to me to be near you again.'
There was something in her voice which instantly reassured him.
'Well--;' he said, 'come and try it if it will suit him.The house is big enough.It will ease his pocket and be a comfort to me.Come and try it.'
It astonished her that the thing should be done so easily.Here was all that her husband had proposed to arrange by deep diplomacy settled in three words.And yet she felt ashamed of herself,--as though she had taken her father in.That terrible behest to 'get round him' still grated on her ears.Had she got round him? Had she cheated him into this?
'Papa,' she said, 'do not do this unless you feel sure that you will like it.'
'How is anybody to feel sure of anything, my dear?'
'But if you doubt, do not do it.'
'I feel sure of one thing, that is that it will be a great saving to your husband, and I am nearly sure that ought not to be a matter of indifference to him.There is plenty of room here, and it will at any rate be a comfort to me to see you sometimes.'
Just at this moment Mrs Roby came in, and the old man began to tell his news aloud.'Emily has not gone away for long.She's coming back like a bad shilling.'
'Not to live in the Square?' said Mrs Roby, looking round at Lopez.
'Why not? There's room here for them, and it will be just as well to save expense.When will you come, my dear?'
'Whenever the house may be ready, papa.'
'It's ready now.You ought to know that I am not going to refurnish the rooms for you, or anything of that kind.Lopez can come in an hang up his hat whenever it pleases him.'
During this time Lopez had hardly known how to speak or what to say.He had been very anxious that his wife should pave the way as he would have called it.He had been urgent with her to break the ice to her father.But it had not occurred to him that the matter would be settled without any reference to himself.Of course he had heard every word that had been spoken, and was aware that his own poverty had been suggested as the cause for such a proceeding.It was a great thing for him in every way.
He would live for nothing, and would also have almost unlimited power of being with Mr Wharton as old age grew on him.This ready compliance with his wishes was a benefit far too precious to be lost.But yet he felt that his own dignity required some reference to himself.It was distasteful to him that his father-in-law should regard him,--or, at any rate, that he should speak of him,--as a pauper, unable to provide a home for his own wife.
'Emily's notion in suggesting it, sir,' he said, 'has been her care for her comfort.' The barrister turned round and looked at him, and Lopez did not quite like the look.'It was she thought of it first, and she certainly had no other idea than that.When she mentioned it to me, I was delighted to agree.'
Emily heard it all and blushed.It was not absolutely untrue in words,--this assertion of her husband's,--but altogether false in spirit.And yet she could not contradict him.'I don't see why it should not do very well indeed,' said Mrs Roby.
'I hope it may,' said the barrister.'Come, Emily, I must take you down to dinner to-day.You are not at home yet, you know.
As you are to come, the sooner the better.'
During dinner not a word was said on the subject.Lopez exerted himself to be pleasant, and told all that he had heard as to the difficulties of the Cabinet.Sir Orlando had resigned, and the general opinion was that the Coalition was going to pieces.Had Mr Wharton seen the last article in the "People's Banner" about the Duke? Lopez was strongly of the opinion that Mr Wharton ought to see that article.'I never had the "People's Banner" within my fingers in my life,' said the barrister angrily, 'and Icertainly never will.'
'Ah, sir; this is an exception.You shall see this.When Slide really means to cut a fellow up, he can do it.There's no one like him.And the Duke has deserved it.He's a poor, vacillating creature, led by the Duchess; and she,--according to all that one hears,--she isn't much better than she should be.'
'I thought the Duchess was a great friend of yours.'