第85章

The old man had not been a week in London before he knew that he had absolutely lost the game.Mrs Roby came back to her house round the corner, ostensibly with the object of assisting her relatives in minding Everett,--a purpose for which she certainly was not needed, but, as the matter progressed, Mr Wharton was not without suspicion that her return had been arranged by Ferdinand Lopez.She took upon herself, at any rate, to be loud in the praise of the man who had saved the life of her 'darling nephew', --and to see that others also should be loud in his praise.In a little time all London had heard of the affair, and it had been discussed out of London.Down at Gatherum Castle the matter had been known,--but the telling of it had always been to the great honour and glory of the hero.Major Pountney had almost broken his heart over it, and Captain Gunner, writing to his friend from the Curragh, had asserted his knowledge that it was all a 'got-up' thing between the two men.The "Breakfast Table" and the "Evening Pulpit" had been loud in praise of Lopez, but the "People's Banner", under the management of Mr Quintus Slide, had naturally thrown down much suspicion on the incident when it became known to the Editor that Ferdinand Lopez had been entertained by the Duke and Duchess of Omnium.'We have always felt some slight doubts as to the details of the affair said to have happened about a fortnight ago, just at midnight, in St James's Park.We should be glad to know whether the policemen have succeeded in tracing any of the stolen property, or whether any real attempt to trace it has been made.' This was one of the paragraphs, and it was hinted still more plainly afterwards that Everett Wharton, being short of money, had arranged the plan with the view or opening his father's purse.But the general effect was certainly serviceable to Lopez.Emily Wharton did believe him to be a hero.Everett was beyond measure grateful to him,--not only for having saved him from the thieves, but also for having told nothing of his previous folly.Mrs Roby always alluded to the matter as if, for all coming ages, every Wharton ought to acknowledge that gratitude to a Lopez was the very first duty of life.The old man felt the absurdity of much of this, but still it offended him.When Lopez came he could not be rough to the man who had done a service to his son.And then he found himself compelled to do something.He must either take his daughter away, or he must yield.But his power of taking his daughter away seemed to be less than it had been.There was an air of quiet, unmerited suffering about her, which quelled him.

And so he yielded.

It was after this fashion.Whether affected by the violence of the attack made upon him, or from other cause, Everett had been unwell after the affair, and had kept his room for a fortnight.

During this time Lopez came to see him daily, and daily Emily Wharton had to take herself out of the man's way, and hide herself from the man's sight.This she did with much tact, and with lady-like quietness, but not without an air of martyrdom, which cut her father to the quick.'My dear,' he said to her one evening, as she was preparing to leave the drawing-room on hearing his knock, 'stop and see him if you like it.'

'Papa!'

'I don't want to make you wretched.If I could have died first, and got out of the way, perhaps it would have been better.'

'Papa, you will kill me if you speak in that way! If there is anything to say to him, do you say it.' And then she escaped.

Well! It was an added bitterness, but no doubt it was his duty.

If he did intend to consent to the marriage, it was certainly for him to signify that consent to the man.It would not be sufficient that he should get out of the way and leave his girl to act for herself as though she had no friend in the world.The surrender which he had made to his daughter had come from a sudden impulse at the moment, but it could not now be withdrawn.

So he stood out on the staircase, and when Lopez came up on his way to Everett's bedroom, he took him by the arm and led him into the drawing-room.'Mr Lopez,' he said, 'you know that I have not been willing to welcome you into my house as a son-in-law.There are reasons on my mind,--perhaps prejudices,--which are strong against it.They are as strong now as ever.But she wishes it, and I have the utmost reliance on her constancy.'

'So have I,' said Lopez.