Tales and Fantasies

t dinner; and the servant answering awkwardly that Master Richard had come back but had gone out again with

after a prolonged absence; that this papa was an old gentleman, very chatty and free with his money in the public-house-whereupon Mr. Naseby's face became encrimsoned; that the papa, furthermore, was said to be an admiral-whereupon Mr. Naseby

,' corrected

to gossip from the first, and was now cowed by the effec

gage?' demand

s,

otion, and he mastered it so far as to mount into the sarcastic ve

with them?' he asked, dwelli

lity of speech to other shoulders, suggested that perhaps the mas

ride fast. And then you can take away this trash,' added Mr. Naseby, pointing to the luncheo

like wildfire over Naseby House, and timidly expressed a ho

the next! He has a taste for low company, and no natural affections to steady him. His father was no society for him; he must go fuddling with a Dutchman,

r. Naseby to blow his nose and shake her hard by the hand; and then, the horse a

the George; they had not been seen at the station. The shadow darkened on Mr. Naseby's face; the junction did not occur to him; his last hope

sir,' said Ge

'How's this? I let this place to

oung lady's aunt, sir, I

e. 'I shall whistle for my r

y knew the Squire by sight, and now, seeing him dismount before the cottage and come st

ome,' he thought: 'a very suitable

he riding-whip upon the door with a dulcet invitation to enter, and c

toe in one rapid and scornful glance, and decided on a cours

rned roughly, and without taking

eplied the Admiral

nk, 'I will not be seated. I am told

an Tromp, who now began to grow nettled a

you call your

n, I do not,' says Van Tr

s of avail aga

eginning to end,' he said. 'Your ver

aughter's guest,' replied the

he Squire, 'wh

ed at him nobly,

n away on me, sir; it will not succeed with me. I will not permit you even to ga

account for your intrusion

calculations, but you calculated without me. I am a man of the world, and I see through you and your man?uvres. I am dealing now with a conspiracy-I stigm

at the devil have I to do with your son? My daughter is out, for the matter of that; I might ask you where she w

Squire. 'Where did your daughter take my

rriage?' repe

r-with l

Tromp had turne

may spare me this dissimulation. Where's my so

me Van Tromp in a new key, 'it is I

ed Naseby. 'Oh!' he added, 'I am a man of th

began to u

y insult another as you have been insulting me since you entered this house. For the first time I appreciate your base insinuations, and I despise them and you. You were, I am told, a manufacturer; I am an artist; I have seen better days; I have

ral stood fo

nd she had submitted without surprise; and though she seemed to listen, she scarcely appeared to comprehend. Dick, on his part, was as white as a sheet; his eyes burned and his lips t

ll this?'

er, Mr. Naseby?' i

said the

ompliments,' ret

s not too late, is it? I have come here in time to save

upon Dick wi

eaning unkindness, but because his nerves w

of old times. I was kind to you then, was I not? When you were a child, and your mother was with us.' Mr. Naseby was interrupted by a sort of sob. Dick stood looking at him in a maze. 'Come away,' pursued the father in a whisper; 'you

t Dick towards the door,

, how you insult that lady,' s

een your father and your m

her, sir?' cried D

nce were not among Mr

ess,' he shouted, 'and I

anly lie,' repl

ed the fath

hening himself against his own heart;

was a

ds, sir-with your friends. I came to serve you, and now I go away a broken man. For years I have seen this coming, and now

e. Esther had not made a sign throughout the interview, and still kept silence now that it was ove

hen he added with a chuckle: 'You began, Richard, with a silver spoon, and here you are in the water like the rest. Work, work, nothing like work. You h

is farewell

as no tone in her voice, and

er,' ad

she repeated

d have shown you I was worthy, and there was no time long enough t

till looking at her, and sh

the meaning of all this?' crie

at stage when men have the vertigo of misfortune, court the strokes of destiny, and rush towards anything decisi

me,' he said, turn

oor Dick, poor Dick. And yet I believe I am as much

, with something like a sne

snapped hi

'Esther has pl

s shiftless, thriftless, worthless, sponging parasite was yet, after and i

d Dick, 'I

hing practical-advertise for a situation as private secretary-and when you have it, go and welcome. But in the meantime, sir

, 'I believe you are

e Admiral, winking, 'you m

nterrupt himself. 'The fact is, Admiral,' he came out with it roundly now, 'your daug

ed the Admiral, with the si

Dick an

evil was she run

uestion unusuall

'you know, you'r

ir, like an archdeacon,'

t you know you dri

fit for any drawing-room. I should like you to tell me how many fathers, lay and clerical, go upstairs every day with a face like a lobster

tried it again,

ken quite a liking to the girl, and meant to stay with her for good. But I tell you what it is, Dick, since she has

nd to her at le

g soul,' replied the Admiral.

ering his hand, 'God b

ick,' he said, 'You are a selfish dog; you forget your

a class of considerations to which his intelligence was closed; so Dick tore him