Castle Richmond

by Anthony Trollope

  CHAPTER XIII.

  MR. MOLLETT RETURNS TO SOUTH MAIN STREET.

  I must now take my readers back to that very unsavoury public-housein South Main Street, Cork, in which, for the present, lived Mr.Matthew Mollett and his son Abraham.

  I need hardly explain to a discerning public that Mr. Matthew Mollettwas the gentleman who made that momentous call at Castle Richmond,and flurried all that household.

  "Drat it!" said Mrs. Jones to herself on that day, as soon as shehad regained the solitude of her own private apartment, after havingtaken a long look at Mr. Mollett in the hall. On that occasion shesat down on a low chair in the middle of the room, put her two handsdown substantially on her two knees, gave a long sigh, and then madethe above exclamation,--"Drat it!"

  Mrs. Jones was still thoroughly a Saxon, although she had lived forso many years among the Celts. But it was only when she was quitealone that she allowed herself the indulgence of so peculiarly Saxona mode of expressing either her surprise or indignation.

  "It's the same man," she said to herself, "as come that day, as sureas eggs;" and then for five minutes she maintained her position,cogitating. "And he's like the other fellow too," she continued."Only, somehow he's not like him." And then another pause. "And yethe is; only it can't be; and he ain't just so tall, and he's olderlike." And then, still meditating, Mrs. Jones kept her position forfull ten minutes longer; at the end of which time she got up andshook herself. She deserved to be bracketed with Lord Brougham andProfessor Faraday, for she had kept her mind intent on her subject,and had come to a resolution. "I won't say nothing to nobody,noways," was the expression of her mind's purpose. "Only I'll tellmissus as how he was the man as come to Wales." And she did tell somuch to her mistress--as we have before learned.

  Mr. Mollett had gone down from Cork to Castle Richmond in oneof those delightful Irish vehicles called a covered car. Aninside-covered car is an equipage much given to shaking, seeing thatit has a heavy top like a London cab, and that it runs on a pair ofwheels. It is entered from behind, and slopes backwards. The sittersits sideways, between a cracked window on one side and a crackeddoorway on the other; and as a draught is always going in at the earnext the window, and out at the ear next the door, it is about ascold and comfortless a vehicle for winter as may be well imagined.Now the journey from Castle Richmond to Cork has to be made rightacross the Boggeragh Mountains. It is over twenty miles Irish; andthe road is never very good. Mr. Mollett, therefore, was five hoursin the covered car on his return journey; and as he had stopped forlunch at Kanturk, and had not hurried himself at that meal, it wasvery dark and very cold when he reached the house in South MainStreet.

  I think I have explained that Mr. Mollett senior was not absolutelya drunkard; but nevertheless, he was not averse to spirits in coldweather, and on this journey had warmed himself with whisky once ortwice on the road. He had found a shebeen house when he crossed theNad river, and another on the mountain-top, and a third at the pointwhere the road passes near the village of Blarney, and at all theseconvenient resting-spots Mr. Mollett had endeavoured to warm himself.

  There are men who do not become absolutely drunk, but who do becomeabsolutely cross when they drink more than is good for them; and ofsuch men Mr. Mollett was one. What with the cold air, and what withthe whisky, and what with the jolting, Mr. Mollett was very crosswhen he reached the Kanturk Hotel, so that he only cursed the driverinstead of giving him the expected gratuity.

  "I'll come to yer honour in the morning," said the driver.

  "You may go to the devil in the morning," answered Mr. Mollett; andthis was the first intimation of his return which reached the ears ofhis expectant son.

  "There's the governor," said Aby, who was then flirting with MissO'Dwyer in the bar. "Somebody's been stroking him the wrong way ofthe 'air."

  The charms of Miss O'Dwyer in these idle days had been too much forthe prudence of Mr. Abraham Mollett; by far too much, consideringthat in his sterner moments his ambition led him to contemplate amatch with a young lady of much higher rank in life. But wine, which"inspires us" and fires us

  "With courage, love, and joy,"

  had inspired him with courage to forget his prudence, and with lovefor the lovely Fanny.

  "Now, nonsense, Mr. Aby," she had said to him a few minutes beforethe wheels of the covered car were heard in South Main Street. "Youknow you main nothing of the sort."

  "By 'eavens, Fanny, I mean every word of it; may this drop be mypoison if I don't. This piece of business here keeps me and thegovernor hon and hoff like, and will do for some weeks perhaps; butwhen that's done, honly say the word, and I'll make you Mrs. M. Isn'tthat fair now?"

  "But, Mr. Aby--"

  "Never mind the mister, Fan, between friends."

  "La! I couldn't call you Aby without it; could I?"

  "Try, my darling."

  "Well--Aby--there now. It does sound so uppish, don't it? But tellme this now; what is the business that you and the old gentleman isabout down at Kanturk?"

  Abraham Mollett hereupon had put one finger to his nose, and thenwinked his eye.

  "If you care about me, as you say you do, you wouldn't be shy of justtelling me as much as that."

  "That's business, Fan; and business and love don't hamalgamate likewhisky and sugar."

  "Then I'll tell you what it is, Mr. Aby; I don't want to haveanything to do with a man who won't show his rispect by telling mehis sacrets."

  "That's it, is it, Fan?"

  "I suppose you think I can't keep a sacret. You think I'd be tellingfather, I suppose."

  "Well, it's about some money that's due to him down there."

  "Who from?"

  "He expects to get it from some of those Fitzgerald people."

  In saying so much Mr. Mollett the younger had not utterly abandonedall prudence. He knew very well that the car-driver and others wouldbe aware that his father had been to Castle Richmond; and that it wasmore than probable that either he or his father would have to makefurther visits there. Indeed, he had almost determined that he wouldgo down to the baronet himself. Under these circumstances it might bewell that some pretext for these visits should be given.

  "Which Fitzgerald, Mr. Aby? Is it the Hap House young man?"

  "Hap House. I never heard of such a place. These people live atCastle Richmond."

  "Oh--h--h! If Mr. Mollett have money due there, sure he have a goodmark to go upon. Why, Sir Thomas is about the richest man in theseparts."

  "And who is this other man; at 'Appy--what is it you call his place?"

  "Hap House. Oh, it's he is the thorough-going young gentleman.Only they say he's a leetle too fast. To my mind, Mr. Owen is thefinest-looking man to be seen anywhere's in the county Cork."

  "He's a flame of yours, is he, Fan?"

  "I don't know what you main by a flame. But there's not a girl inCork but what likes the glance of his eye. They do say that he'd haveLady Clara Desmond; only there ain't no money."

  "And what's he to these other people?"

  "Cousin, I believe; or hardly so much as that, I'm thinking. But allthe same if anything was to happen to young Mr. Herbert, it would allgo to him."

  "It would, would it?"

  "So people say."

  "Mr. 'Erbert is the son of the old cock at Castle Richmond, isn'the?"

  "Just so. He's the young cock; he, he, he!"

  "And if he was to be--nowhere like; not his father's son at all, forinstance, it would all go to this 'andsome 'Appy 'Ouse man; wouldit?"

  "Every shilling, they say; house, title, and all."

  "Hum," said Mr. Abraham Mollett; and he began again to calculate hisfamily chances. Perhaps, after all, this handsome young man who wasat present too poor to marry his noble lady love might be the moreliberal man to deal with. But then any dealings with him would killthe golden goose at once. All would depend on the size of the one eggwhich might be extracted.

  He certainly felt, however, that this Fitzgerald family arrangementwas one w
hich it was beneficial that he should know; but he felt alsothat it would be by no means necessary at present to communicate theinformation to his father. He put it by in his mind, regarding it asa fund on which he might draw if occasion should require. It mightperhaps be pleasant for him to make the acquaintance of this 'andsomeyoung Fitzgerald of 'Appy 'Ouse.

  "And now, Fan, my darling, give us a kiss," said he, getting up fromhis seat.

  "'Deed and I won't," said Fan, withdrawing herself among the bottlesand glasses.

  "'Deed and you shall, my love," said Aby, pertinaciously, as heprepared to follow her through the brittle ware.

  "Hu--sh--be aisy now. There's Tom. He's ears for everything, and eyeslike a cat."

  "What do I care for Tom?"

  "And father 'll be coming in. Be aisy, I tell you. I won't now, Mr.Aby; and that's enough. You'll break the bottle."

  "D---- the bottle. That's smashed hany way. Come, Fan, what's a kissamong friends?"

  "Cock you up with kisses, indeed! how bad you are for dainties!There; do you hear that? That's the old gentleman;" and then, as thevoice of Mr. Mollett senior was heard abusing the car-driver, MissO'Dwyer smoothed her apron, put her hands to her side hair, andremoved the debris of the broken bottle.

  "Well, governor," said Aby, "how goes it?"

  "How goes it, indeed! It goes pretty well, I dare say, in here, whereyou can sit drinking toddy all the evening, and doing nothing."

  "Why, what on hearth would you have me be doing? Better here thanpaddling about in the streets, isn't it?"

  "If you could do a stroke of work now and then to earn your bread,it might be better." Now Aby knew from experience that whenever hisfather talked to him about earning his bread, he was half drunk andwhole cross. So he made no immediate reply on that point.

  "You are cold I suppose, governor, and had better get a bit ofsomething to eat, and a little tea."

  "And put my feet in hot water, and tallow my nose, and go to bed,hadn't I? Miss O'Dwyer, I'll trouble you to mix me a glass ofbrandy-punch. Of all the roads I ever travelled, that's the longestand hardest to get over. Dashed, if I didn't begin to think I'd neverbe here." And so saying he flung himself into a chair, and put up hisfeet on the two hobs.

  There was a kettle on one of them, which the young lady pushed alittle nearer to the hot coals, in order to show that the watershould be boiling; and as she did so Aby gave her a wink over hisfather's shoulder, by way of conveying to her an intimation that "thegovernor was a little cut," or in other language tipsy, and that thebrandy-punch should be brewed with a discreet view to past events ofthe same description. All which Miss O'Dwyer perfectly understood.

  It may easily be conceived that Aby was especially anxious toreceive tidings of what had been done this day down in the Kanturkneighbourhood. He had given his views to his father, as will beremembered; and though Mr. Mollett senior had not professed himselfas absolutely agreeing with them, he had nevertheless owned that hewas imbued with the necessity of taking some great step. He had gonedown to take this great step, and Aby was very anxious to know how ithad been taken.

  When the father and son were both sober, or when the son was tipsy,or when the father was absolutely drunk--an accident which wouldoccur occasionally, the spirit and pluck of the son was in theascendant. He at such times was the more masterful of the two, andgenerally contrived, either by persuasion or bullying, to govern hisgovernor. But when it did happen that Mollett pere was half drunkand cross with drink, then, at such moments, Mollett fils had toacknowledge to himself that his governor was not to be governed.

  And, indeed, at such moments his governor could be verydisagreeable--could say nasty, bitter things, showing very littleparental affection, and make himself altogether bad society, not onlyto his son, but to his son's companions also. Now it appeared to Abythat his father was at present in this condition.

  He had only to egg him on to further drinking, and the respectablegentleman would become stupid, noisy, soft, and affectionate. Butthen, when in that state, he would blab terribly. It was much withthe view of keeping him from that state, that under the presentcircumstances the son remained with the father. To do the fatherjustice, it may be asserted that he knew his own weakness, and that,knowing it, he had abstained from heavy drinking since he had takenin hand this great piece of diplomacy.

  "But you must be hungry, governor; won't you take a bit ofsomething?"

  "Shall we get you a steek, Mr. Mollett?" asked Miss O'Dwyer,hospitably, "or just a bit of bacon with a couple of eggs or so? Itwouldn't be a minute, you know?"

  "Your eggs are all addled and bad," said Mr. Mollett; "and as for abeef-steak, it's my belief there isn't such a thing in all Ireland."After which civil speech, Miss O'Dwyer winked at Aby, as much as tosay, "You see what a state he's in."

  "Have a bit of buttered toast and a cup of tea, governor," suggestedthe son.

  "I'm d---- if I do," replied the father. "You're become uncommon fondof tea of late--that is, for other people. I don't see you take muchof it yourself."

  "A cup of tay is the thing to warm one afther such a journey asyou've had; that's certain, Mr. Mollett," said Fanny.

  "Them's your ideas about warming, are they, my dear?" said theelderly gentleman. "Do you come and sit down on my knee here for afew minutes or so, and that'd warm me better than all the 'tay' inthe world."

  Aby showed by his face that he was immeasurably disgusted by theiniquitous coarseness of this overture. Miss O'Dwyer, however,looking at the gentleman's age, and his state as regarded liquor,passed it over as of no moment whatsoever. So that when, in thelater part of the evening, Aby expressed to that young lady his deepdisgust, she merely said, "Oh, bother; what matters an old man likethat?"

  And then, when they were at this pass, Mr. O'Dwyer came in. He didnot interfere much with his daughter in the bar room, but he wouldoccasionally take a dandy of punch there, and ask how things weregoing on in doors. He was a fat, thickset man, with a good-humouredface, a flattened nose, and a great aptitude for stable occupations.He was part owner of the Kanturk car, as has been before said, andwas the proprietor of sundry other cars, open cars and covered cars,plying for hire in the streets of Cork.

  "I hope the mare took your honour well down to Kanturk and backagain," said he, addressing his elder customer with a chuck of hishead intended for a bow.

  "I don't know what you call well," said Mr. Mollett. "She hadn't aleg to stand upon for the last three hours."

  "Not a leg to stand upon! Faix, then, and it's she'd have the fourgood legs if she travelled every inch of the way from Donagh-a-Dee toTi-vora," to which distance Mr. O'Dwyer specially referred as beingsupposed to be the longest known in Ireland.

  "She may be able to do that; but I'm blessed if she's fit to go toKanturk and back."

  "She's done the work, anyhow," said Mr. O'Dwyer, who evidentlythought that this last argument was conclusive.

  "And a precious time she's been about it. Why, my goodness, it wouldhave been better for me to have walked it. As Sir Thomas said tome--"

  "What! did you see Sir Thomas Fitzgerald?"

  Hereupon Aby gave his father a nudge; but the father either did notappreciate the nudge, or did not choose to obey it.

  "Yes; I did see him. Why shouldn't I?"

  "Only they do say he's hard to get to speak to now-a-days. He's notover well, you know, these years back."

  "Well or ill he'll see me, I take it, when I go that distance to askhim. There's no doubt about that; is there, Aby?"

  "Can't say, I'm sure, not knowing the gentleman," said Aby.

  "We holds land from Sir Thomas, we do; that is, me and my brotherMick, and a better landlord ain't nowhere," said Mr. O'Dwyer.

  "Oh, you're one of the tenants, are you? The rents are paid prettywell, ain't they?"

  "To the day," said Mr. O'Dwyer, proudly.

  "What would you think now--" Mr. Mollett was continuing; but Abyinterrupted him somewhat violently.

  "Hold your confounded stupid to
ngue, will you, you old jolterhead;"and on this occasion he put his hand on his father's shoulder andshook him.

  "Who are you calling jolterhead? Who do you dare to speak to in thatway? you impudent young cub you. Am I to ask your leave when I wantto open my mouth?"

  Aby had well known that his father in his present mood would notstand the manner in which the interruption was attempted. Nor did hewish to quarrel before the publican and his daughter. But anythingwas better than allowing his father to continue in the strain inwhich he was talking.

  "You are talking of things which you don't hunderstand, and aboutpeople you don't know," said Aby. "You've had a drop too much on theroad too, and you 'ad better go to bed."

  Old Mollett turned round to strike at his son; but even in hispresent state he was somewhat quelled by Aby's eye. Aby was keenlyalive to the necessity for prudence on his father's part, though hewas by no means able to be prudent himself.

  "Talking of things which I don't understand, am I?" said the old man."That's all you know about it. Give me another glass of that brandytoddy, my dear."

  But Aby's look had quelled, or at any rate silenced him; and thoughhe did advance another stage in tipsiness before they succeeded ingetting him off to bed, he said no more about Sir Thomas Fitzgeraldor his Castle Richmond secrets.

  Nevertheless, he had said enough to cause suspicion. One would nothave imagined, on looking at Mr. O'Dwyer, that he was a very craftyperson, or one of whose finesse in affairs of the world it would benecessary to stand much in awe. He seemed to be thick, and stolid,and incapable of deep inquiry; but, nevertheless, he was as fondof his neighbours' affairs as another, and knew as much about theaffairs of his neighbours at Kanturk as any man in the county Cork.

  He himself was a Kanturk man, and his wife had been a Kanturk woman;no less a person, indeed, than the sister of Father Bernard M'Carthy,rest her soul;--for it was now at peace, let us all hope. She hadbeen dead these ten years; but he did not the less keep up hisconnection with the old town, or with his brother-in-law the priest,or with the affairs of the persons there adjacent; especially, wemay say, those of his landlord, Sir Thomas Fitzgerald, under whom hestill held a small farm, in conjunction with his brother Mick, thepublican at Kanturk.

  "What's all that about Sir Thomas?" said he to his daughter in a lowvoice as soon as the Molletts had left the bar.

  "Well, I don't just know," said Fanny. She was a good daughter, andloved her father, whose indoor affairs she kept tight enough for him.But she had hardly made up her mind as yet whether or no it wouldsuit her to be Mrs. Abraham Mollett. Should such be her destiny, itmight be as well for her not to talk about her husband's matters.

  "Is it true that the old man did see Sir Thomas to-day?"

  "You heard what passed, father; but I suppose it is true."

  "And the young 'un has been down to Kanturk two or three times. Whatcan the like of them have to do with Sir Thomas?"

  To this Fanny could only say that she knew nothing about it, whichin the main was true. Aby, indeed, had said that his father had gonedown to collect money that was due to him; but then Fanny did notbelieve all that Aby said.

  "I don't like that young 'un at all," continued Mr. O'Dwyer. "He's anasty, sneaking fellow, as cares for no one but his own belly. I'mnot over fond of the old 'un neither."

  "They is both free enough with their money, father," said the prudentdaughter.

  "Oh, they is welcome in the way of business, in course. But lookhere, Fan; don't you have nothing to say to that Aby; do you hearme?"

  "Who? I? ha, ha, ha!"

  "It's all very well laughing; but mind what I says, for I won't haveit. He is a nasty, sneaking, good-for-nothing fellow, besides being aheretic. What'd your uncle Bernard say?"

  "Oh! for the matter of that, if I took a liking to a fellow Ishouldn't ask Uncle Bernard what he had to say. If he didn't like it,I suppose he might do the other thing."

  "Well, I won't have it. Do you hear that?"

  "Laws, father, what nonsense you do talk. Who's thinking about theman? He comes here for what he wants to ate and dhrink, and I supposethe house is free to him as another. If not we'd betther just shut upthe front door." After which she tossed herself up and began to wipeher glasses in a rather dignified manner.

  Mr. O'Dwyer sat smoking his pipe and chewing the cud of hisreflections. "They ain't afther no good; I'm sure of that." In sayingwhich, however, he referred to the doings of the Molletts down atKanturk, rather than to any amatory proceedings which might havetaken place between the young man and his daughter.

  On the following morning Mr. Mollett senior awoke with a rackingheadache. My belief is, that when men pay this penalty for drinking,they are partly absolved from other penalties. The penalties ondrink are various. I mean those which affect the body, exclusive ofthose which affect the mind. There are great red swollen noses, verydisagreeable both to the wearer and his acquaintances; there aremorning headaches, awful to be thought of; there are sick stomachs,by which means the offender escapes through a speedy purgatory; thereare sallow cheeks, sunken eyes, and shaking shoulders; there are verybig bellies, and no bellies at all; and there is delirium tremens.For the most part a man escapes with one of these penalties. If hehave a racking headache, his general health does not usually sufferso much as though he had endured no such immediate vengeance fromviolated nature. Young Aby when he drank had no headaches; but hiseye was bloodshot, his cheek bloated, and his hand shook. His father,on the other hand, could not raise his head after a debauch; butwhen that was gone, all ill results of his imprudence seemed to havevanished.

  At about noon on that day Aby was sitting by his father's bedside. Upto that time it had been quite impossible to induce him to speak aword. He could only groan, swallow soda-water with "hairs of the dogthat bit him" in it, and lay with his head between his arms. But soonafter noon Aby did induce him to say a word or two. The door of theroom was closely shut, the little table was strewed with soda-waterbottles and last drops of small goes of brandy. Aby himself had acigar in his mouth, and on the floor near the bed-foot was a platewith a cold, greasy mutton chop, Aby having endeavoured in vainto induce his father to fortify exhausted nature by eating. Theappearance of the room and the air within it would not have beenpleasant to fastidious people. But then the Molletts were notfastidious.

  "You did see Sir Thomas, then?"

  "Yes, I did see him. I wish, Aby, you'd let me lie just for anotherhour or so. I'd be all right then. The jolting of that confounded carhas nearly shaken my head to pieces."

  But Aby was by no means inclined to be so merciful. The probabilitywas that he would be able to pump his father more thoroughly in hispresent weak state than he might do in a later part of the afternoon;so he persevered.

  "But, governor, it's so important we should know what we're about.Did you see any one else except himself?"

  "I saw them all I believe, except her. I was told she never showedin the morning; but I'm blessed if I don't think I saw the skirt ofher dress through an open door. I'll tell you what, Aby, I could notstand that."

  "Perhaps, father, after hall it'll be better I should manage thebusiness down there."

  "I believe there won't be much more to manage. But, Aby, do leave menow, there's a good fellow; then in another hour or so I'll get up,and we'll have it all out."

  "When you're out in the open air and comfortable, it won't be fairto be bothering you with business. Come, governor, ten minutes willtell the whole of it if you'll only mind your eye. How did you beginwith Sir Thomas?" And then Aby went to the door, opened it verygently, and satisfied himself that there was nobody listening on thelanding-place.

  Mr. Mollett sighed wearily, but he knew that his only hope was to getthis job of talking over. "What was it you were saying, Aby?"

  "How did you begin with Sir Thomas?"

  "How did I begin with him? Let me see. Oh! I just told him who I was;and then he turned away and looked down under the fire like, and Ithought he was going to make a fa
int of it."

  "I didn't suppose he would be very glad to see you, governor."

  "When I saw how badly he took it, and how wretched he seemed, Ialmost made up my mind to go away and never trouble him any more."

  "You did, did you?"

  "And just to take what he'd choose to give me."

  "Oh, them's your hideas, hare they? Then I tell you what; I shalljust take the matter into my own hands hentirely. You have no more'eart than a chicken."

  "Ah, that's very well, Aby; but you did not see him."

  "Do you think that would make hany difference? When a man's a job ofwork to do, 'e should do it. Them's my notions. Do you think a manlike that is to go and hact in that way, and then not pay for it?Whose wife is she I'd like to know?"

  There was a tone of injured justice about Aby which almost roused thefather to participate in the son's indignation. "Well; I did my best,though the old gentleman was in such a taking," said he.

  "And what was your best? Come, out with it at once."

  "I--m-m. I--just told him who I was, you know."

  "I guess he understood that quite well."

  "And then I said things weren't going exactly well with me."

  "You shouldn't have said that at all. What matters that to him? Whatyou hask for you hask for because you're able to demand it. That'sthe ground for hus to take, and by ---- I'll take it too. There shallbe no 'alf-measures with me."

  "And then I told him--just what we were agreed, you know."

  "That we'd go snacks in the whole concern?"

  "I didn't exactly say that."

  "Then what the devil did you say?"

  "Why, I told him that, looking at what the property was, twelvehundred pounds wasn't much."

  "I should think not either."

  "And that if his son was to be allowed to have it all--"

  "A bastard, you know, keeping it away from the proper heir." It mayalmost be doubted whether, in so speaking, Aby did not almost thinkthat he himself had a legitimate right to inherit the property atCastle Richmond.

  "He must look to pay up handsome."

  "But did you say what 'andsome meant?"

  "Well, I didn't--not then. He fell about upon the table like, and Iwasn't quite sure he wouldn't make a die of it; and then heaven knowswhat might have happened to me."

  "Psha; you 'as no pluck, governor."

  "I'll tell you what it is, Aby, I ain't so sure you'd have such anuncommon deal of pluck yourself."

  "Well, I'll try, at any rate."

  "It isn't such a pleasant thing to see an old gentleman in thatstate. And what would happen if he chose to ring the bell and orderthe police to take me? Have you ever thought of that?"

  "Gammon."

  "But it isn't gammon. A word from him would put me into quod, andthere I should be for the rest of my days. But what would you carefor that?" And poor Mr. Mollett senior shook under the bedclothesas his attention became turned to this very dreary aspect of hisaffairs. "Pluck, indeed! I'll tell you what it is, Aby, I oftenwonder at my own pluck."

  "Psha! Wouldn't a word from you split upon him, and upon her, andupon the young 'un, and ruin 'em? Or a word from me either, for thematter of that?"

  Mr. Mollett senior shook again. He repented now, as he had alreadydone twenty times, that he had taken that son of his into hisconfidence.

  "And what on hearth did you say to him?" continued Aby.

  "Well, not much more then; at least, not very much more. There wasa good deal of words, but they didn't seem to lead to much, exceptthis, just to make him understand that he must come down handsome."

  "And there was nothing done about Hemmiline?"

  "No," said the father, rather shortly.

  "If that was settled, that would be the clincher. There would be nofurther trouble to nobody then. It would be all smooth sailing foryour life, governor, and lots of tin."

  "I tell you what it is, Aby, you may just drop that, for I won't havethe young lady bothered about it, nor yet the young lady's father."

  "You won't, won't you?"

  "No, I won't; so there's an end of it."

  "I suppose I may pay my distresses to any young lady if I thinkfitting."

  "And have yourself kicked into the ditch."

  "I know too much for kicking, governor."

  "They shall know as much as you do, and more too, if you go on withthat. There's a measure in all things. I won't have it done, so Itell you." And the father turned his face round to the wall.

  This was by no means the end of the conversation, though we need notverbatim go through any more of it. It appeared that old Molletthad told Sir Thomas that his permanent silence could be purchasedby nothing short of a settled "genteel" income for himself and hisson, no absolute sum having been mentioned; and that Sir Thomas hadrequired a fortnight for his answer, which answer was to be conveyedto Mr. Mollett verbally at the end of that time. It was agreed thatMr. Mollett should repeat his visit to Castle Richmond on that dayfortnight.

  "In the mean time I'll go down and freshen the old gentleman up abit," said Aby, as he left his father's bedroom.