I
He had never been so wretched before. It was the suffering of a
vigourous and obstinate man entangled in a situation in which he is
unable to move. He wished to lay everything at Rosaleen’s feet, and yet
could give her nothing. He longed to relieve her intolerable burdens,
and could not take a step toward doing so.
And, as always when he was not able to act, anger took possession of
him. He was cool, resolute, self-controlled enough when there was
anything for him to do, but tie his hands and his blood began to boil.
His wrath began to descend upon Lawrence. He decided that he would go to
see him, to threaten, to bully, to bribe, in some way to force him to
free Rosaleen against her will. He refused to see the absurdity of this;
directly he had made the decision he felt a sort of peace, and he was
able to go home and to sleep.
He knew very well that there must be a reckoning at home, and he
welcomed it. He wanted it. He blamed all the world for Rosaleen’s
sufferings. He wished to defend her and to fight for her. Unaccountably
and very unjustly he was angry at his aunt and at Caroline. (Or was it
perhaps that he subconsciously wished to forestall their
reproaches?).... However, he appeared at breakfast the next morning in a
most unpleasant mood. He said “Good morning!” frigidly to Mrs. Allanby,
and sat down at the table with a frown.
“I’d like to speak to you alone for a minute, if you please!” he said.
With a gesture his aunt dismissed the servant, and sat looking quietly
at him.
“About last night,” he began. “I told Caroline it was a case of urgent
necessity. She couldn’t--or _wouldn’t_ understand.”
“Ah think it would have been better to have made your excuses to Mr.
Anson,” she said, evenly.
“I left that to--to you. You understand that sort of thing. You have so
much tact....”
“You didn’t ask me, Nick!”
“I hadn’t time. Good Lord! Caroline isn’t a child. She ought to
understand----”
“Understand just what? You didn’t tell her where you were going, or why.
No! Please don’t interrupt me for a minute! Ah know you’re not
accountable to us in any way. But we were just going to that dinner for
your sake, because you asked us. And.... Ah’m disappointed in you. Ah
can’t help it!”
“You shouldn’t be. It’s not fair. It was an urgent matter. I was worried
and upset, and perhaps I did neglect certain formalities. But under the
circumstances, you ought to make allowances.”
“But what were the circumstances? You must remember we don’t know them.”
He was silent; then he asked, abruptly.
“What happened? What did you do?”
“Ah went. Ah thought if Ca’line went, too, it might make an odd number.
Ah told Mr. Anson that an old friend of the family had met with an
accident and that you and Ca’line had gone to him.”
“That was nice of you!” said Nick, gratefully. “Then it’s all right, is
it?”
“As far as Mr. Anson goes. But Ah _do_ think.... Boy, you don’t know how
you worry me.”
He looked at her, with quite his old smile.
“No!” he said. “I will _not_ tell you! Not yet!”