But seeing he is the man he is, it would be absurd. I dare not let
him manage my affairs for me much longer. I must understand for
myself how things are going."
"You will not, I hope, arrange anything without the presence of a
lawyer! I fear I have less confidence in your uncle than you have!"
Arctura made no reply, and Donal was afraid he had hurt her; but the
next moment she looked up with a sad smile, and said,
"Well, poor man! we will not compare our opinions of him: he is my
father's brother, and I shall be glad not to offend him. But my
father would have reason to be dissatisfied if I left everything to
my uncle as if he had not left everything to me. If he had been
another sort of man, my father would surely have left the estate to
him!"
At nine o'clock they met in the housekeeper's room--low-ceiled,
large, lined almost round with oak presses, which were mistress
Brookes's delight. She welcomed them as to her own house, and made
an excellent hostess.
But Donal would not mix the tumbler of toddy she would have had him
take. For one thing he did not like his higher to be operated upon
from his lower: it made him feel as if possessed by a not altogether
real self. But the root of his objection lay in the teaching of his
mother. The things he had learned of his parents were to him his
patent of nobility, vouchers that he was honourably descended: of
his birth he was as proud as any man.
Pages:
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457