Fallen Fortunes, Chapters XXXV-XXXVI [pp. 176-181]

FALLEN' F
'U!
"It was a deuced kind thing of the man, that I the
must say," observed he, when he had delivered this m(
information, which he felt somehow had fallen flat. in
"Very much so," said the doctor, "if it was dis interested." sis
"There was no promise attached to it whatso- fee
ever, my good friend; the offer was made quite
free." Gc
"Still, from what I have seen of Mr. Holt," per- he
sisted the other, " I should think he was a gentleman MI
vho looked, in some shape or another, for his quid th
pro quo. Moreover, I believe him clever enough to his
gauge the nature of those with whom he has to deal.
If he lends our young friends money, he places them ob
under an obligation; and there is only one way-as is
it seems to me-by which that obligation can be dis- ge
charged."
"I think that you are not very charitable to Mr. th
Holt," said Mr. Campden, with a little flush. sel
"Perhaps not," said the doctor, dryly. "Still, I ro
think it hard upon the girl to place her in such a po- bo
sition. Suppose a lovely young woman, for example to
(and what can be more likely?), advanced me money to
upon very doubtful security-should not I be bound, pr
if I could not repay her, to make her Mrs. C.?". the
"I believe you're right, Curzon," said Mr. Camp- sir
den, suddenly; "it has struck me in the same light, th
myself. The money, if they want it, shall be forth- op
coming some other way." ch
He gave a great sigh as he said that, as a thrifty sta
man might do who has made up his mind to some co
extravagance; but Mr. Campden was not thrifty; the
and, though he was counting the cost of what he had tic
resolved to do, it was not the expense that made him th
sigh. If he advised the girls not to take this money, im
especially if his wife had already persuaded them to on
do so, "there would be the deuce of a row," he knew, in
with Julia. th
"I say, Jeff, what is your opinion of Mr. Holt?" ret
inquired the doctor, presently, pitching his voice so fir
as to reach the others-" that is, so far as you can th
tell it consistently with loyalty to your chief?" th
"Ay, we mustn't disclose the secrets of the pris- na
on-house, must we?" said Mr. Campden-" how we fa
rig the markets, and all that." th
"I am bound to say that Mr. Holt has been uni- th
formly civil to me," replied the young fellow, frank- re
ly-" nay, not only civil, but considerate. In my it
ignorance and inexperience, I have no doubt made ni:
lots of blunders in business matters, and he has nev- of
er said a word about them. And this is the more sti
creditable to him, because he hates me very cordially, sit
and he knows that I hate him."
"My dear Jeff, I am astonished at you!" ex- th
claimed Mr. Campden. M
The doctor looked astonished, too, but with a sly se
twinkle in his eyes that did not speak reproof. be
"No, sir; we don't like one another, and we wI
never shall," continued the young man;" but I do m<
my duty by him, I hope, and, as I say, I have noth- be
ing to complain of in his behavior to me." of
"Well, I have known many partnerships carried ha
on on worse terms," observed the doctor, cheerfully. as
"But how was it that oil and vinegar were got to th
mix in the first instance?" wI
'The explanation is very simple, doctor. Mrs. if
Dalton-God bless her!-asked Mr. Holt to take se
me, and advised me to go. And-and" (here Jeff th
began for the first time to exhibit embarrassment) ha
"nothing else happened to offer itself."
For the second time the color came into Mr. ki:
Campden's face: he could not but remember the ev
circumstances under which Jeff had been driven its
from Riverside. It was quite a relief to him that a th
bend of the road here showed them the village- fo:
t'''V 1.' 79
ey were now returning from the mere-and once
ore introduced, by association, the topic of the
orning.
"I should like to have a few words with your
ters before I start, Tony," said the squire, "if they
el equal to seeing me."
"Oh, I am sure they would see you, Uncle
eorge, because-" Here he stopped short; what
had in his mind was, "because they could see
rs. Campden, who is not half so nice;" but, unlike
at lady, he sometimes felt a hesitation in speaking
s mind.
"Because he is their best friend-eh, Tony?"
served the doctor, hastening to the rescue. " That
quite right. WIe three will take another turn to ther, while the squire goes in."
Since Mrs. Campden's departure that afternoon,
e two sisters had not met. Kitty had devoted her If to the baby, and Jenny had remained in her own
om endeavoring, in vain, to devote herself to her
oks. They were both aware that it behooved them
be doing something.' not to give themselves over
the grief that was importuning them to become its
ey. They only showed their weakness by avoiding
e little drawing-room when they conveniently could,
ice it was there that the sense of loss oppressed
em most: the unfinished piece of work, the still
en desk, the book half read, the empty lounging air, wvere for the present daggers, each of which
ibbed them to the very heart. Perhaps, too, the
nsciousness of their disagreement-or, rather, of
eir want of accord-with respect to the proposi n made by Mrs. Campden, had helped to keep
em apart for that half-hour or so. A quarrel was
possible between them at any time, much more
the very day when they had laid in earth the be g they had loved best upon it, and who had repaid
eir love with such usurious interest. There were
asons, as I have shown, why these two from the
st should not have gone the way of most sisters in
is respect; and, since misfortune had befallen
em, the bonds of love between them had been
turally strengthened and tightened. It is a poor
ncy, indeed, that has painted Love as flying out of
e window when Poverty knocks at the door. With
ose within, if they be not utterly worthless, he
mains a more cherished guest than ever. Indeed,
was only their ordinary close affection and una mity which gave any importance to the difference
opinion between the two sisters; it seemed so
range to each that the other should take an oppote view of any matter.
Jenny on her part had no doubt whatever as to
e course they were bound to follow with respect to
r. Holt's offer. If she had thought Kitty was
riously thinking of accepting it, she would have
en furious. She saw it at once in the very light in
hich it appeared to Dr. Curzon. " This impudent
an was offering to lend his money upon the very
st of security-naimely, on Kitty herself. If the
rer was accepted, it was in fact the offer of his
nd!" What hesitation, therefore, need there be
to their reply? As to Mrs. Campden's making
e proposition, that was only to be expected, after
hat had already happened, and was another reason,
such were wanted, for declining it. Sooner than
e her Kitty sacrificed on the altar to Mammon, for
e sake of herself and Tony and the baby, she would
we "starved first."
But, besides this bitter feeling, there was a fire
ndled in Jenny's breast that flamed against almost
~erybody, nay, which resented the blows of Fate
self. She had taken it ill in church that day that
e Bleabarrow clergyman-of whose cure Sanbeck
rmed a portion not much visited except in the