Late that evening, just at the hour when, on the previous
night, he was closeted with the father, he found himself
closeted with the mother. ‘She has never
forgotten you for one moment since you left us,’
said the mother. Mrs. Shand had rushed into the
subject so quickly that these were almost the first
words she said to him. He remained quite quiet,
looking out from the open window into the moonlight.
When a distinct proposition was made to him like this,
he certainly would not be a moth. ‘I don’t
know whether you have thought of her too, Mr. Caldigate.’
He only shook his head. ‘That is so?’
‘I hope you do not think that I have been to
blame in any way,’ he said, with a conscience
somewhat stricken;—for he remembered well
that he had kissed the young lady on that evening
four years ago.
’Oh no. I have no complaint to make.
My poor child! It is a pity. But I have
nothing more to say. It must be so then?’
‘I am the least settled man in all the world,
Mrs. Shand.’
‘But at some future time?’
‘I fear not. My mind is intent on other
things.’ So it was;—intent on
Hester Bolton! But the statement as he made it,
was certainly false, for it was intended to deceive.
Mrs. Shand shook hands with him kindly, however, as
she sent him away to bed, telling him that breakfast
should be ready for him at eight the next morning.
His train left Pollington at nine, and at eight the
doctor with all his family were there to greet him
at the breakfast-table,—with all the family
except Maria. The mother, in the most natural
tone in the world, said that poor Maria had a headache
and could not come down. They filled his plate
with eggs and bacon and toast, and were as good to
him as though he had blighted no hopes and broken
no heart. He whispered one word at going to the
doctor. ’Pray remember that whenever you
think the money can be of use, it is there. I
consider that I owe him quite as much as that.’
The father grasped his hand, and all of them blessed
him as he went.
‘If I can only get away from Babington as easily!’
he said to himself, as he took his place in the railway
carriage.
Again at Babington
The affair of Julia Babington had been made to him
in set terms, and had, if not accepted, not been at
once refused. No doubt this had occurred four
years ago, and, if either of them had married since,
they would have met each other without an unpleasant
reminiscence. But they had not done so, and there
was no reason why the original proposition should
not hold good. After escaping from Babington he
had, indeed, given various reasons why such a marriage
was impossible. He had sold his inheritance.
He was a ruined man. He was going out to Australia
as a simple miner. It was only necessary for
him to state all this, and it became at once evident
that he was below the notice of Julia Babington.
