'In that case, as far as I am concerned, I shall do whatever she may ask me to do.Good morning.'
Mr Wharton left the room, but did not leave the house.Before he did so he would see his daughter, and, thinking it probable that Lopez would also choose to see his wife, he prepared to wait in his own room.But, in about ten minutes, Lopez started from the hall door in a cab, and did so without going upstairs.Mr Wharton had reason to believe that his son-in-law was almost destitute of money for immediate purposes.Whatever he might have would at any rate be serviceable for him before he started.
Any home for Emily must be expensive; and no home in their present circumstances could be so reputable for her as one under her father's roof.He therefore almost hoped that she might still be left with him till that horrid day should come,--if it ever did come,--in which she would be taken away from him for ever.'Of course, papa, I shall go if he bids me,' she said, when he told her all that he thought it right to tell her of that morning's interview.
'I hardly know how to advise you,' said the father, meaning in truth to bring himself round to the giving of some advice adverse to her husband's will.
'I want no advice, papa.'
'Want no advice! I never knew a woman who wanted it more.'
'No, papa.I am bound to do as he tells me.I know what I have done.When some poor wretch has got himself into perpetual prison by his misdeeds, no advice can serve him.So it is with me.'
'You can at any rate escape from your prison.'
'No;--no.I have a feeling of pride which tells me that as Ichose to become the wife of my husband,--so I insisted on it in opposition to all my friends,--as I would judge for myself,--Iam bound to put up with my choice.If this had come upon me through the authority of others, if I had been constrained to marry him, I think I could have reconciled myself to deserting him.But I did it myself, and I will abide by it.When he bids me to go, I shall go.' Poor Mr Wharton went to his chambers, and sat there the whole day without taking a book or a paper into his hands.Could there be no rescue, no protection, no relief? He turned over in his head various plans, but in a vague and useless manner.What if the Duke were to prosecute Lopez for the fraud!
What if he could implore Lopez to abandon his wife,--pledging himself by some deed not to return to her,--for, say, twenty or even thirty thousand pounds! What if he himself were carry his daughter away to the continent, half forcing and half persuading her to make the journey! Surely there might be some means found by which the man might be frightened into compliance.But there he sat,--and did nothing.And in the evening he ate a solitary mutton chop at The Jolly Blackbird, because he could not bear to face even his club, and then returned to his chambers,--to the great disgust of the old woman who had them in charge at nights.
And at about midnight he crept away to his own house, a wretched old man.
Lopez when he left Manchester Square he did not go in search of a new home for himself and his wife, nor during the whole of the day did he trouble himself on that subject.He spent most of the day at the rooms in Coleman Street of the San Juan Mining Association, of which Mr Mills Happerton had once been Chairman.
