Part 6 (1/2)
”Tell me all you can think of,” she said, calmly; ”about your father and mother.”
”Haven't got any,” he said; ”they're both dead.”
”I am sorry,” she said.
”Yes, they're dead,” he said; ”they died long ago.”
”And have you any brothers and sisters?”
”No; I have a cousin, though,” and he groaned.
”I am so glad,” she said, in a low voice.
”Don't be. I'm not. He's a--I don't like him; we don't get on together, you know.”
”You quarrel, do you mean?”
”Like Kilkenny cats,” a.s.sented the Savage.
”Then he must be a bad man,” she said, simply.
”No,” he said, quietly; ”everybody says that I am the bad one. I'm a regular bad lot, you know.”
”I don't think that you are bad,” she said.
”You don't; really not! By George! I like to hear you say that; but,”
with a slow shake of the head, ”I'm afraid it's true. Yes, I am a regular bad lot.”
”Tell me what you have done that is so wrong,” she said.
”Oh--I've--I've spent all my money.”
”That's not so very wrong; you have hurt only yourself.”
”Jove, that's a new way of looking at it,” he muttered.
”And”--aloud--”and I've run into debt, and I've--oh, I can't tell you any more; I don't want you to hate me!”
”Hate you? I could not do that.”
He sprang to his feet, paced up and down, and then dropped at her side again.
”Well, that's all about myself,” he said; ”now tell me about yourself.”
”No,” she said; ”not yet. Tell me why you are going to Arkdale?”
”I'm going to Arkdale to take a train to Hurst Leigh to see my uncle, cousin, or whatever he is--Squire Davenant.”
”Is he an old man?”
”Yes, a very old man, and a bad one, too. All our family are a bad lot, excepting my cousin, Stephen Davenant.”