It has been awfully hard upon me,--awfully hard.I don't suppose that there was ever a moment in my life when the loss of 500 pounds would have been so much to me as it is now.The question is, what will your father do for us?' Emily could not but remember her husband's intense desire to obtain money from her father not yet three months since, as though all the world depended on his getting it,--and his subsequent elation as though all his sorrows were over for ever, because the money had been promised.And now,--almost immediately,--he was again in the same position.She endeavoured to judge him kindly, but a feeling of insecurity in reference to his affairs struck her at once and made her heart cold.Everything had been achieved, then, by a gift of 3,000 pounds,--surely a small sum to effect such a result with a man living as her husband lived.And now the whole 3,000 pounds was gone;--surely a large sum to have vanished in so short a time! Something of the uncertainty of business she could understand, but a business must be perilously uncertain if subject to such vicissitudes as these! But as ideas of this nature crowded themselves into her mind she told herself again and again that she had taken him for better and for worse.If the worse were already coming, she would still be true to her promise.'You had better tell papa everything.'
'Had it not better come from you?'
'No, Ferdinand.Of course I will do as you bid me.I will do anything that I can do.But you had better tell him.His nature is such that he will respect you more if it come from yourself.
And then it is so necessary that he should know all;--all.' She put whatever emphasis she knew how to use upon this word.
'You could tell him--all, as well as I.'
'You would not bring yourself to tell it to me, nor could Iunderstand it.He will understand everything, and if he thinks that you have told him everything, he will at any rate respect you.'
He sat silent for a while meditating, feeling always more and more acutely that he had been ill-used,--never thinking for an instant that he had ill-used others.'3,000 pounds, you know, was no fortune for your father to give you!' She had no answer to make, but she groaned in spirit as she heard the accusation.
'Don't you feel that yourself?'
'I know nothing of money, Ferdinand.If you had told me to speak to him about it before we were married, I would have done so.'
'He ought to have spoken to me.It is marvellous how close-fisted an old man can be.He can't take it with him.' Then he sat for half an hour in moody silence, during which she was busy with her needle.After that he jumped up, with a manner altogether altered,--gay, only that the attempt was too visible to deceive even her,--and shook himself, as though he were ridding himself of his trouble.'You are right, old girl.You are always right,--almost.I will go to your father to-morrow, and tell him everything.It isn't so very much that I want him to do.Things will all come right again.I'm ashamed that you should have seen me in this way,--but I have been disappointed about the election, and troubled about that Mr Fletcher.You shall not see me give way again like this.Give me a kiss, old girl.'
She kissed him, but she could not even pretend to recover her self as he had done.'Had we not better give up the brougham?'
she said.
'Certainly not.For heaven's sake do not speak in that way! You do not understand things.'
'No; certainly I do not.'
'It isn't that I haven't the means of living, but that my business money is so often required for instant use.And situated as I am at the present an addition to my capital would enable me to do so much!' She certainly did not understand it, but she had sufficient knowledge of the world and sufficient common sense to be aware that their present rate of expenditure ought to be a matter of importance to a man who felt the loss of 500 pounds as he felt that loss at Silverbridge.
On the next morning Lopez was at Mr Wharton's chambers early,--so early that the lawyer had not yet reached them.He had resolved,--not that he would tell everything, for such men never even intend to tell everything,--but that he would tell a good deal.
He must, if possible, affect the mind of the old man in two ways.
He must ingratiate himself;--and at the same time make it understood that Emily's comfort in life would depend very much on her father's generosity.The first must be first accomplished, if possible,--and then the second, as to which he could certainly produce at any rate belief.He had not married a rich man's daughter without an intention of getting the rich man's money! Mr Wharton would understand that.If the worst came to the worst, Mr Wharton must of course maintain his daughter,--and his daughter's husband! But things had not come to the worst as yet, and he did not intend on the present occasion to present that view of his affairs to his father-in-law.
Mr Wharton when he entered his chambers found Lopez seated there.
