This encouraging reply cost him an effort. He had stooped to the unworthy practice of perverting what he had said and done on a former occasion, to serve a present interest. Remind himself as he might of the end which, in the interests of Iris, did really appear to justify the means, he still sank to a place in his own estimation which he was honestly ashamed to occupy.
Under other circ.u.mstances his hesitation, slight as it was, might have excited suspicion. As things were, Mr. Vimpany could only discover golden possibilities that dazzled his eyes. "I wonder whether you"re in the humour," he said, "to be kindly disposed towards me now?"
It was needless to be careful of the feelings of such man as this.
"Suppose you had the money you want in your pocket," Hugh suggested, "what would you do with it?"
"Go back to London, to be sure, and publish the first number of that work of mine I told you of."
"And leave your friend, Lord Harry?"
"What good is my friend to me? He"s nearly as poor as I am--he sent for me to advise him--I put him up to a way of filling both our pockets, and he wouldn"t hear of it. What sort of a friend do you call that?"
Pay him and get rid of him. There was the course of proceeding suggested by the private counsellor in Mountjoy"s bosom.
"Have you got the publisher"s estimate of expenses?" he asked.
The doctor instantly produced the doc.u.ment.
To a rich man the sum required was, after all, trifling enough.
Mountjoy sat down at the writing-table. As he took up a pen, Mr.
Vimpany"s protuberant eyes looked as if they would fly out of his head.
"If I lend you the money--" Hugh began.
"Yes? Yes?" cried the doctor.
"I do so on condition that n.o.body is to know of the loan but ourselves."
"Oh, sir, on my sacred word of honour--" An order on Mountjoy"s bankers in Paris for the necessary amount, with something added for travelling expenses, checked Mr. Vimpany in full career of protestation. He tried to begin again: "My friend! my benefactor--"
He was stopped once more. His friend and benefactor pointed to the clock.
"If you want the money to-day, you have just time to get to Paris before the bank closes."
Mr. Vimpany did want the money--always wanted the money; his grat.i.tude burst out for the third time: "G.o.d bless you!"
The object of that highly original form of benediction pointed through the window in the direction of the railway station. Mr. Vimpany struggled no longer to express his feelings--he had made his last sacrifice to appearances--he caught the train.
The door of the room had been left open. A voice outside said: "Has he gone?"
"Come in, f.a.n.n.y," said Mountjoy. "He will return to London either to-night or to-morrow morning."
The strange maid put her head in at the door. "I"ll be at the terminus," she said, "and make sure of him."
Her head suddenly disappeared, before it was possible to speak to her again. "Was there some other person outside? The other person entered the room; it was Lord Harry. He spoke without his customary smile.
"I want a word with you, Mr. Mountjoy."
"About what, my lord?"
That direct question seemed to confuse the Irishman. He hesitated.
"About you," he said, and stopped to consider. "And another person," he added mysteriously.
Hugh was const.i.tutionally a hater of mysteries. He felt the need of a more definite reply, and asked for it plainly:
"Does your lordship a.s.sociate that other person with me?"
"Yes, I do."
"Who is the person?"
"My wife."
CHAPTER x.x.x
SAXON AND CELT
WHEN amicable relations between two men happen to be in jeopardy, there is least danger of an ensuing quarrel if the friendly intercourse has been of artificial growth, on either side. In this case, the promptings of self-interest, and the laws of politeness, have been animating influences throughout; acting under conditions which a.s.sist the effort of self-control. And for this reason: the man who has never really taken a high place in our regard is unprovided with those sharpest weapons of provocation, which make unendurable demands on human fort.i.tude. In a true attachment, on the other hand, there is an innocent familiarity implied, which is forgetful of ceremony, and blind to consequences. The affectionate freedom which can speak kindly without effort is sensitive to offence, and can speak harshly without restraint. When the friend who wounds us has once been a.s.sociated with the sacred memories of the heart, he strikes at a tender place, and no considerations of propriety are powerful enough to stifle our cry of rage and pain. The enemies who have once loved each other are the bitterest enemies of all.
Thus, the curt exchange of question and answer, which had taken place in the cottage at Pa.s.sy, between two gentlemen artificially friendly to one another, led to no regrettable result. Lord Harry had been too readily angry: he remembered what was due to Mr. Mountjoy. Mr. Mountjoy had been too thoughtlessly abrupt: he remembered what was due to Lord Harry. The courteous Irishman bowed, and pointed to a chair. The well-bred Englishman returned the polite salute, and sat down. My lord broke the silence that followed.
"May I hope that you will excuse me," he began, "if I walk about the room? Movement seems to help me when I am puzzled how to put things nicely. Sometimes I go round and round the subject, before I get at it.
I"m afraid I"m going round and round, now. Have you arranged to make a long stay in Paris?"
Circ.u.mstances, Mountjoy answered, would probably decide him.
"You have no doubt been many times in Paris before this," Lord Harry continued. "Do you find it at all dull, now?"
Wondering what he could possibly mean, Hugh said he never found Paris dull--and waited for further enlightenment. The Irish lord persisted:
"People mostly think Paris isn"t as gay as it used to be. Not such good plays and such good actors as they had at one time. The restaurants inferior, and society very much mixed. People don"t stay there as long as they used. I"m told that Americans are getting disappointed, and are trying London for a change."
Could he have any serious motive for this irrelevant way of talking? Or was he, to judge by his own account of himself, going round and round the subject of his wife and his guest, before he could get at it?
Suspecting him of jealousy from the first, Hugh failed--naturally perhaps in his position--to understand the regard for Iris, and the fear of offending her, by which her jealous husband was restrained.
Lord Harry was attempting (awkwardly indeed!) to break off the relations between his wife and her friend, by means which might keep the true state of his feelings concealed from both of them. Ignorant of this claim on his forbearance, it was Mountjoy"s impression that he was being trifled with. Once more, he waited for enlightenment, and waited in silence.
"You don"t find my conversation interesting?" Lord Harry remarked, still with perfect good-humour.
"I fail to see the connection," Mountjoy acknowledged, "between what you have said so far, and the subject on which you expressed your intention of speaking to me. Pray forgive me if I appear to hurry you--or if you have any reasons for hesitation."
Far from being offended, this incomprehensible man really appeared to be pleased. "You read me like a book!" he exclaimed. "It"s hesitation that"s the matter with me. I"m a variable man. If there"s something disagreeable to say, there are times when I dash at it, and times when I hang back. Can I offer you any refreshment?" he asked, getting away from the subject again, without so much as an attempt at concealment.
Hugh thanked him, and declined.
"Not even a gla.s.s of wine? Such white Burgundy, my dear sir, as you seldom taste."