WHERE IS GUATEMALA?
Though his daughter's words to him had been very wild they did almost more to convince Mr Wharton that he should not give his money to his son-in-law than even the letters which had passed between them.To Emily herself he spoke very little as to what had occurred that evening.'Papa,' she said, 'do not ask me anything more about it.I was very miserable,--because of the dinner.' Nor did he at that time ask her any questions, contenting himself with assuring her that, at any rate at present, and till after her baby should have been born, she must remain at Manchester Square.'He won't hurt me,' said Mr Wharton, and than added with a smile, 'He won't want to have any more dinner parties while I am here.'
Nor did he make any complaint to Lopez as to what had been done, or even allude to the dinner.But when he had been back about a week he announced to his son-in-law his final determination as to money.'I had better tell you, Lopez, what I mean to do, so that you may not be left in doubt.I shall not entrust any further sum of money into your hands on behalf of Emily.'
'You can do as you please, sir,--of course.'
'Just so.You have had what to me is a very considerable sum,--though I fear that it did not go for much in your large concern.'
'It was not very much, Mr Wharton.'
'I dare say not.Opinions on such a matter differ, you know.At any rate there will be no more.At present I wish Emily to live her, and you, of course, are welcome here also.If things are not going well with you, this will, at any rate, relieve you from immediate expense.
'Mine are more minute.The necessities of my life have caused me to think of these little things.When I am dead there will be provision for Emily made by my will;--the income going to trustees for her benefit, and the capital to her children after her death.I thought it only fair to you that this should be explained.'
'And you will do nothing for me?'
'Nothing;--if that is nothing.I should have thought that your present maintenance and the future support of your wife and children would have been regarded as something.'
'It is nothing;--nothing!'
'Then let it be nothing.Good morning.'
Two days after that Lopez recurred to the subject.'You were very explicit with me the other day, sir.'
'I meant to be so.'
'And I will be equally so to you now.Both I and your daughter are absolutely ruined unless you reconsider your purpose.'
'If you mean money by reconsideration;--present money to be given to you,--I certainly shall not reconsider it.You may take my solemn assurance that I will give you nothing that can be of any service to you in trade.'
Then, sir,--I must tell you my purpose, and give you my assurance, which is equally solemn.Under those circumstances Imust leave England, and try my fortune in Central America.There is an opening for me at Guatemala, though not a very hopeful one.'
'Guatemala!'
'Yes;--friends of mine have a connection there.I have not broken it to Emily yet, but under these circumstances she will have to go.'
'You will not take her to Guatemala!'
'Not take my wife, sir? Indeed I shall.Do you suppose that Iwould go away and leave my wife a pensioner on your bounty? Do you think that she would wish to desert her husband? I don't think you know your daughter.'
'I wish you had never known her.'
'That is neither here not there, sir.If I cannot succeed in this country I must go elsewhere.As I have told you before 20,000 pounds at the present moment would enable me to surmount all my difficulties, and make me a very wealthy man.But unless I can command some such sum by Christmas everything here must be sacrificed.'
'Never in my life did I hear so base a proposition,' said Mr Wharton.
'Why is it base? I can only tell you the truth.'
'So be it.You will find that I have mean what I said.'
'So do I, Mr Wharton.'
'As to my daughter, she must, of course, do as she thinks fit.'
'She must do as I think fit, Mr Wharton.'
'I will not argue with you.Alas, alas, poor girl.'
'Poor girl indeed! She is likely to be a poor girl if she is treated in this way by her father.As I understand that you intend to use, or to try to use, authority over her, I shall take steps for removing her at once from your house.' And so the interview was ended.
Lopez had thought the matter over, and had determined to 'brazen it out', as he himself called it.Nothing further was, he thought, to be got by civility and obedience.Now he must use his power.His idea of going to Guatemala was not an invention of the moment, nor was it devoid of a certain basis of truth.
Such a suggestion had been made to him some time since by Mr Mills Happerton.There were mines in Guatemala which wanted, or at some future date, might want, a resident director.The proposition had been made to Lopez before his marriage, and Mr Happerton probably had now forgotten all about it;--but the thing was of service now.He broke the matter very suddenly to his wife.'Has your father been speaking to you of my plans?'
'Not lately;--not that I remember.'
'He could not speak of them without your remembering, I should think.Has he told you that I am going to Guatemala?'
'Guatemala! Where is Guatemala, Ferdinand?'
'You can answer my question though your geography is deficient.'
'He has said nothing about your going anywhere.'
'You will have to go,--as soon after Christmas as you may be fit.'
'But where is Guatemala;--and for how long, Ferdinand?'
'Guatemala is in Central America, and we shall probably settle there for the rest of our lives.I have got nothing to live on here.'
During the next two months this plan of seeking a distant home and a strange country was constantly spoken of in Manchester Square, and did receive corroboration from Mr Happerton himself.
Lopez renewed his application and received a letter saying that the thing might probably be arranged if he were in earnest.'Iam quite earnest,' Lopez said as he showed the letter to Mr Wharton.'I suppose Emily will be able to start two months after her confinement.They tell me babies do very well at sea.'
