’You thought me unworthy of you. You can
confess to me that you were mistaken.’
‘I didn’t know you as I do now,’
fell from the expressionless lips.
’Thank you for saying that! Well, then,
your anxiety is at an end. You are not in the
hands of a mercenary enemy, but of a man whose principles
forbid him to do anything ignoble, who has an ideal
of life, the result of much study and thought.
You have never heard me speak about religion, but
you would be gravely mistaken if you thought I had
no religious convictions. Some day I shall treat
that subject before our Society, and it is probable
that my views will give rise to a good deal of discussion.
I have formed a religion for myself; when I write
my essay, I think I shall call it “The Religion
of a Man of Business.” One of the great
evils of the day is the vulgar supposition that commerce
has nothing to do with religious faith. I shall
show how utterly wrong that is. It would take
too long to explain to you my mature views of Christianity.
I am not sure that I recognise any of the ordinary
dogmas; I think I have progressed beyond them.
However, we shall have many opportunities of talking
about these things.’
Nancy uttered a mere ‘Yes.’ She was
looking at Tarrant’s letter on the side-table,
and wishing to be alone that she might read it again.
‘In the meantime,’ Samuel pursued, ’whatever
difficulty arises, confide it to me. Probably
you will wish to tell me more before long; you know
that I am not unworthy to be your adviser. And
so let us shake hands, in sign of genuine friendship.’
Nancy gave her fingers, which felt very cold upon
Barmby’s warm, moist palm.
‘This conversation has been trying to you,’
he said, ’but relief of mind will soon follow.
If anything occurs to me that may help to soothe you,
I will write.’
‘Thank you.’
’At the beginning of our interview you didn’t
think it would end like this?’
There was something of the boy in Samuel, perhaps
the wholesomest part of him. Having manifested
his admirable qualities, he felt a light-hearted pleasure
in asking for renewed assurance of the good opinion
he had earned.
‘I hardly cared,’ said Nancy, as she rose
with a sigh of weariness.
‘But you have got over that. You will be
quite cheerful now?’
‘In time, no doubt.’
’I shall call again—let us say on
Wednesday evening. By that time I shall be able
to put you entirely at ease with regard to Miss Morgan.’
Nancy made no reply. In shaking hands, she regarded
the radiant Samuel with a dreamy interest; and when
he had left her, she still gazed for a few moments
at the door.
