ectourrelatives,&c.,whichis,ofcourse,alie.Stillshe’llsayit.Oh,dear,sweet,soberCarolineAbbotthasascrewloose!WeknewitatMonteriano.Ihadmysuspicionslastyearonedayinthetrainandhereitisagain.Theyoungpersonismad.”
Shestillsaidnothing.
“ShallIgoroundatonceandgiveitherwell?I’dreallyenjoyit.”
Inalow,seriousvoice—suchavoiceasshehadnotusedtohimformonths—Mrs.Herritonsaid,“Carolinehasbeenextremelyimpertinent.Yettheremaybesomethinginwhatshesaysafterall.Oughtthechildtogrowupinthatplace—andwiththatfather?”
Philipstartedandshuddered.Hesawthathismotherwasnotsincere.Herinsinceritytoothershadamusedhim,butitwasdishearteningwhenusedagainsthimself.
“Letusadmitfrankly,”shecontinued,“thatafterallwemayhaveresponsibilities.”
“Idon’tunderstandyou,Mother.Youareturningabsolutelyround.Whatareyouupto?”
Inonemomentanimpenetrablebarrierhadbeenerectedbetweenthem.Theywerenolongerinsmilingconfidence.Mrs.Herritonwasoffontacticsofherown—tacticswhichmightbebeyondorbeneathhim.
Hisremarkoffendedher.“Upto?IamwonderingwhetherIoughtnottoadoptthechild.Isthatsufficientlyplain?”
“Andthisistheresultofhalf-a-dozenidiociesofMissAbbott?”
“Itis.Irepeat,shehasbeenextremelyimpertinent.Nonethelesssheisshowingmemyduty.IfIcanrescuepoorLilia’sbabyfromthathorribleman,whowillbringitupeitherasPapistorinfidel—whowillcertainlybringituptobevicious—Ishalldoit.”
“YoutalklikeHarriet.”
“Andwhynot?”saidshe,flushingatwhatsheknewtobeaninsult.“Say,ifyouchoose,thatItalklikeIrma.Thatchildhasseenthethingmoreclearlythananyofus.Shelongsforherlittlebrother.Sheshallhavehim.Idon’tcareifIamimpulsive.”
Hewassurethatshewasnotimpulsive,butdidnotdaretosayso.Herabilityfrightenedhim.Allhislifehehadbeenherpuppet.ShelethimworshipItaly,andreformSawston—justasshehadletHarrietbeLowChurch.Shehadlethimtalkasmuchasheliked.Butwhenshewantedathingshealwaysgotit.
Andthoughshewasfrighteninghim,shedidnotinspirehimwithreverence.Herlife,hesaw,waswithoutmeaning.Towhatpurposewasherdiplomacy,herinsincerity,hercontinuedrepressionofvigour?Didtheymakeanyonebetterorhappier?Didtheyevenbringhappinesstoherself?Harrietwithhergloomypeevishcreed,Liliawithherclutchesafterpleasure,wereafterallmoredivinethanthiswell-ordered,active,uselessmachine.
Nowthathismotherhadwoundedhisvanityhecouldcriticizeherthus.Buthecouldnotrebel.Totheendofhisdayshecouldprobablygoondoingwhatshewanted.HewatchedwithacoldinteresttheduelbetweenherandMissAbbott.Mrs.Herriton’spolicyonlyappearedgradually.ItwastopreventMissAbbottinterferingwiththechildatallcosts,andifpossibletopreventheratasmallcost.Pridewastheonlysolidelementinherdisposition.Shecouldnotbeartoseemlesscharitablethanothers.
“Iamplanningwhatcanbedone,”shewouldtellpeople,“andthatkindCarolineAbbottishelpingme.Itisnobusinessofeitherofus,butwearegettingtofeelthatthebabymustnotbeleftentirelytothathorribleman.ItwouldbeunfairtolittleIrmaafterall,heisherhalf-brother.No,wehavecometonothingdefinite.”
MissAbbottwasequallycivil,butnottobeappeasedbygoodintentions.Thechild’swelfarewasasacreddutytoher,notamatterofprideorevenofsentiment.Byitalone,shefelt,couldsheundoalittleoftheevilthatshehadpermittedtoco