Clarence gave a kind of groan, and presently exclaimed,
’If only untruth were not such a sin!’
and, on my exclamation of dismay, he added, ‘I
don’t think a blowing up ever does good!’
‘But this state of things should not last.’
’It will not. It would have come to an
end without Peter’s springing this mine.
Griff says he can’t stand Gooch any longer!
And really she does worry him intolerably.’
‘Peter professed to come without her knowledge
or consent.’
’Exactly so. It will almost break the
good old soul’s heart for Griff to leave her;
but she expects to have him in hand as if he was
in the nursery. She is ever so much worse than
she was with me, and he is really good-nature itself
to laugh off her nagging as he does--about what he
chooses to put on, or eating, or smoking, or leaving
his room untidy, as well as other things.’
‘And those other things? Do you suspect
more than you told papa?’
’It amounts to no more. Griff likes amusement,
and everybody likes him—that’s all.
Yes, I know my father read law ten hours a day,
but his whole nature and circumstances were different.
I don’t believe Griff could go on in that
way.’
‘Not with such a hope before him? You
would, Clarence.’
His face and not his tongue answered me, but he added,
’Griff is sure of that without so much
labour and trouble.’
‘And do you see so little of him?’
’I can’t help it. I can’t
keep his hours and do my work. Yes, I know
we are drifting apart; I wish I could help it, but
being coupled up together makes it rather worse than
better. It aggravates him, and he will really
get on better without Gooch to worry him, and thrust
my droning old ways down his throat,—as
if Prince Hal could bear to be twitted with “that
sober boy, Lord John of Lancaster.” Not,’
he added, catching himself up, ’that I meant
to compare him to the madcap Prince. He is
the finest of fellows, if they only would let him
alone.’
And that was all I could get from Clarence.
’Spited with a fool —
Spited and angered both.’
Cymbeline.
This long stay of Ellen’s in our family had
made our fraternal relations with her nearer and
closer. Familiarity had been far from lessening
our strong feeling for her goodness and sweetness.
Emily, who knew her best, used to confide to me
little instances of the spirit of devotion and self-discipline
that underlay all her sunny gaiety—how
she never failed in her morning’s devout readings;
how she learnt a verse or two of Scripture every
day, and persuaded Emily to join with her in repeating
it ere they went downstairs for their evening’s
pleasure; how she had set herself a little task of
plain work for the poor, which she did every day
in her own room; and the like dutiful habits, which
seemed, as it were, to help her to keep herself in
hand, and not be carried away by what was a whirl
of pleasure to her, though a fashionable young lady
would have despised its mildness.
