Part 6 (1/2)
”Yes,” replied Merrill. ”You will remember that the week was up this morning, and so I called to learn my fate, and your daughter has told me. I presume that your decision is final, and that, therefore, there is nothing more to be said on the subject.”
”My decisions are usually final, Mr Merrill, because I do not arrive at them without due consideration. I am deeply grieved, as I have told you before, but my decision is a deduction from what I consider to be an unbreakable chain of argument which I need not trouble you with.
Personally and socially, of course, it would be impossible for me to have the slightest objection to you. In fact, apart from your execrable fighting profession, I like you; but otherwise, as you know, I cannot help looking at you as the survival of an age of barbarism, a hark-back of humanity, for all the honour in which that trade is held by an ignorant and deluded world; and so for the last time it is my painful task to tell you that there can be no union between your blood and mine.
Outside that, of course, there is no reason why we should not remain friends.”
”Very well, sir,” replied Merrill, ”I have heard your decision, and Miss Marmion has told me she is resolved to abide by it; I should be something less than a man if I attempted to alter her resolve. We are ordered on foreign service this week, and so for the present, good-bye.”
He lifted his hat, turned away and walked down the road with teeth clenched and eyes fixed straight in front of him, and a shade of grey under the tan of his skin.
The Professor looked after him for a few moments and turned in at the gate, saying:
”It's a great pity in some ways--many ways, in fact. He's a fine young fellow and a thorough gentleman, and I'm afraid they're very fond of each other, but of course to let Niti marry him would be the negation of the belief and teaching of more than half a lifetime. I hope the poor girl won't take it too keenly to heart. I'm afraid he seems rather hard hit, poor chap, but of course there's no help for it. Just fancy me the father-in-law of a fighting man, and the grandfather of what might be a brood of fighters! No, no; that is quite out of the question.”
CHAPTER VII
MOSTLY POSSIBILITIES
The Professor went into the garden feeling just a trifle uncomfortable.
He not only loved his daughter dearly, but he also had a very deep and well-justified respect for her intellect and scholarly attainments. Her unfortunate love for a man whom he honestly believed to be a totally unfit mate for her was the only shadow that had ever drifted between them since she had become, not only his daughter, but his friend and companion, and the enthusiastic sharer of his intellectual pursuits. Of course, anything like a scene was utterly out of the question; but there is a silence more eloquent than words, and it was that that he was mostly afraid of.
He found her walking up and down the lawn with her hands behind her back. She was a little paler than usual, and there was a shadow in her eyes. She came towards him, and said quite quietly:
”Mr Merrill has been here, Dad, to say good-bye. I told him, and so we have said it.”
The simple words were spoken with a quiet and yet tender dignity which made him feel prouder than ever of his daughter and all the more sorry for her.
”I met him just outside the gate, Niti,” he replied, looking at her through a little mist in his eyes, ”He spoke most honourably, and like the gentleman that he is. I hope you will believe me----”
”I believe you in everything, Dad,” she said quickly; ”and since the matter is ended, it will only hurt us both to say any more about it.
Now, I have some news,” she continued, in a tone whose alteration was well a.s.sumed.
”Ah! and what is that, Niti?” he asked, looking up at her with a smile of relief.
”It's something that I hope you will be able to get some of your solemn fun out of. One of the items in the 'Social Intelligence' to-day states that your old friend, Professor Hoskins van Huysman, and his wife and daughter have come to London, and will stay ten days before 'proceeding'
to Paris and the South of France, and so, of course, they will be here for your lecture, and naturally he will not resist the temptation of making one of your audience.”
”Van Huysman!” exclaimed the Professor. ”That Yankee charlatan, confound him! I shouldn't wonder if he had the impudence to take part in the discussion afterwards.”
”Then,” laughed Nitocris, ”you must take care to have all your heavy guns ready for action. But, of course, Dad, you won't let your--well, your scientific feelings get mixed up with social matters, will you?
Because, you know, I like Brenda very much; she's the prettiest and brightest girl I know. You know, she can do almost anything, and yet she's as unaffected----”
”As some one else we know,” interrupted the Professor with another smile.
”And then, you know, Mrs van Huysman,” continued Nitocris with a little flush, ”is such a dear, innocent, good-natured thing, so good-hearted and so deliciously American. Of course, you can fight with the Professor as much as you like in print, and in lecture halls--I know you both love it--but you'll still be friends socially, won't you?”
”Which, of course, means garden-parties and river trips, and similar frivolities that learned young ladies love so much. You needn't trouble about that, Niti. I shall not allow my zeal for scientific truth to interfere with your social pleasures, you may be quite sure. Science, as you know, has nothing to do with what we call Society, except as one of the most curious phenomena of Sociology. Drive into town whenever you like and see them. Present my respectful compliments, and ask them to dinner, or whatever you like. And now I must get to my work--I've only three more days, and my notes are not anything like complete.”