He was himself at this moment very unhappy.He had renewed his quarrel with Everett,--or Everett rather had renewed the quarrel with him.There had been words between them about money lost at cards.Hard words had been used, and Everett had told his father that if either of them were a gambler it was not he.Mr Wharton had resented this bitterly and had driven his son from his presence,--and now the quarrel with him had made him very wretched.He certainly was sorry that he had called his son a gambler, but his son had been, as he thought, inexcusable in the retort which he had made.He was a man to whom his friends gave credit for much sternness;--but still he was one who certainly had no happiness in the world independent of his children.His daughter had left him, not as he thought under happy auspices,--and he was now, at this moment, soft-hearted and tender in his regards as to her.What was there in the world for him but his children? And now he felt himself to be alone and destitute.He was already tired of whist at the Eldon.That which would have been a delight to him once or twice a week, became almost loathsome when it was renewed from day to day;--and not the less when his son told him that he also was a gambler.'So you have come back from Silverbridge?' he said.
'Yes, sir; I have come back not exactly triumphant.A man should not expect to win always.' Lopez had resolved to pluck up his spirit and carry himself like a man.
'You seem to have got into some scrape down there, besides losing your election.'
'Oh; you have seen that in the papers already.I have come to tell you of it.As Emily is concerned in it you ought to know.'
'Emily concerned! How is she concerned?'
Then Lopez told the whole story,--after his own fashion, and yet with no palpable lie.Fletcher had written to her a letter which he had thought to be very offensive.On hearing this, Mr Wharton looked very grave, and asked for the letter.Lopez said that he had destroyed it, not thinking that such a document should be preserved.Then he went on to explain that it had had reference to the election, and that he had thought it to be highly improper that Fletcher should write to his wife on that or on any other subject.'It depends very much on the letter,' said the old man.
'But on any subject,--after what has passed.'
'They were very old friends.'
'Of course I will not agree with you, Mr Wharton; but I own that it angered me.It angered me very much,--very much indeed.Itook it to be an insult to her, and when he accosted me in the street down at Silverbridge I told him so.I may not have been very wise, but I did it on her behalf.Surely you can understand that such a letter might make a man angry.'
'What did he say?'
'That he would do anything for her sake,--even retire from Silverbridge if his friends would let him.' Mr Wharton scratched his head, and Lopez saw that he was perplexed.'Should he have offered to do anything for her sake, after what has passed?'
'I know the man so well,' said Mr Wharton, 'that I cannot and do not believe him to have harboured an improper thought in reference to my child.'
'Perhaps it was an indiscretion only.'
'Perhaps so.I cannot say.And then they took you before the magistrates?'
'Yes,--in my anger I had threatened him.Then there was a policeman and a row.And I had to swear that I would not hurt him.Of course I had no wish to hurt him.'
'I suppose it ruined your chance at Silverbridge?'
'I suppose it did.' This was a lie, as Lopez had retired before the row took place.'What I care for most now is that you should think I have misbehaved myself.'
The story had been told very well, and Mr Wharton was almost disposed to sympathize with his son-in-law.That Arthur Fletcher had meant nothing that could be regarded as offensive to his daughter he was quite sure;--but it might be that in making an offer intended to be generous he had used language which the condition of the persons concerned made indiscreet.'I suppose,'
he said, 'that you spent a lot of money at Silverbridge?' This gave Lopez the opening he wanted, and he described the manner in which the 500 pounds had been extracted from him.'You can't play that game for nothing,' said Mr Wharton.
'And just at present I could ill afford it.I should not have done it if I had not felt it a pity to neglect such a chance of rising in the world.After all, a seat in the British House of Commons is an honour.'
'Yes;--yes;--yes.'
'And the Duchess, when she spoke to me about it, was so certain.'
'I will pay the 500 pounds,' said Mr Wharton.
'Oh, sir, that is generous!' Then he got up and took the old man's hands.'Some day, when you are at liberty, I hope that you will allow me to explain to you the exact state of my affairs.
When I wrote to you from Como I told you that I would wish to do so.You do not object?'
'No,' said the lawyer,--but with infinite hesitation in his voice.'No, I don't object.But I do not know how I could serve them.I shall be busy just now, but I will give you the cheque.
And if you and Emily have nothing better to do, come and dine to-morrow.' Lopez with real tears in his eyes took the cheque, and promised to come on the morrow.'And in the meantime I wish you would see Everett.' Of course he promised that he would see Everett.
Again he was exalted, on this occasion not so much by the acquisition of the money as by the growing conviction that his father-in-law was a cow capable of being milked.And the quarrel between Everett and his father might clearly be useful to him.
