"He was greatly delighted with them," said Mr. Belamour.
"While they, poor little things, never were more happy in their lives.
He must have been very kind to them, yet he did not know that they
were here."
"His mother is not communicative respecting them. Ladies who love
power seek to preserve it by making little mysteries."
"It was to see you, sir, that he came."
"Yes. He ingenuously avowed that he had always been urged to do so
by his stepfather, but his mother has always put obstacles in the
way, and assured him that he would not gain admission. I have
certainly refused to see her, but this is a very different matter--
my brother's only child, my godson, and my ward!"
"I am very glad he has come to see you, sir, and I am sure it has
given you pleasure."
"Pleasure in seeing that he is a lad of parts, and of an ingenuous,
affectionate, honest nature, but regret in perceiving how I failed
in the confidence that his father reposed in me."
"But, sir, you could not help it!"
"Once I could not. It was, I know not how long, before I knew that
my brother was no more; and thinking myself dead to the world and
the world to me, I took no heed to what, it now seems to me, I was
told of guardianship to the boy. I was incapable of fulfilling any
such charge, and I shunned the pain of hearing of it," he continued,
rather as if talking to himself than to his auditor.
Pages:
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149