Volume I Part 33 (2/2)
”As well in one word as in two.”
”Promise me that you will never, by any circ.u.mstances, allow yourself to be drawn into ? what is called an _affair of honour_.”
Mr. Carleton's brow changed, and without making any reply, perhaps to avoid his mother's questioning gaze, he rose up and walked two or three times the length of the cabin. His mother and Fleda watched him doubtfully.
”Do you see how you have got me into trouble, Elfie?” said he, stopping before them.
Fleda looked wonderingly, and Mrs. Carleton exclaimed ?
”What trouble!”
”Elfie,” said he, without immediately answering his mother, ”what would your conscience do with two promises, both of which cannot be kept?”
”What such promises have you made?” said Mrs. Carleton, eagerly.
”Let me hear first what Fleda says to my question.”
”Why,” said Fleda, looking a little bewildered, ”I would keep the right one.”
”Not the one first made?” said he, smiling.
”No,” said Fleda; ”not unless it was the right one.”
”But don't you think one ought to keep one's word, in any event?”
”I don't think anything can make it right to do wrong,” Fleda said, gravely, and not without a secret trembling consciousness to what point she was speaking.
He left them, and again took several turns up and down the cabin before he sat down.
”You have not given me your promise yet, Guy,” said his mother, whose eye had not once quitted him. ”You said you would.”
”I said, if I could.”
”Well, you can?”
”I have two honourable meetings of the proscribed kind now on hand, to which I stand pledged.”
Fleda hid her face in an agony. Mrs. Carleton's agony was in every line of hers as she grasped her son's wrist, exclaiming, ”Guy, promise me!” She had words for nothing else. He hesitated still a moment, and then meeting his mother's look, he said gravely and steadily ?
”I promise you, mother, I never will.”
His mother threw herself upon his breast, and hid her face there, too much excited to have any thought of her customary regard to appearances, sobbing out thanks and blessings even audibly. Fleda's gentle head was bowed in almost equal agitation; and Mr. Carleton at that moment had no doubt that he had chosen well which promise to keep.
There remained, however, a less agreeable part of the business to manage. After seeing his mother and Fleda quite happy again, though without satisfying in any degree the curiosity of the former, Guy went in search of the two young West Point officers. They were together, but without Thorn's friend Captain Beebee. Him Carleton next sought, and brought to the forward deck, where the others were enjoying their cigars; or rather, Charlton Rossitur was enjoying his with the happy self-satisfaction of a pair of epaulettes, off duty. Thorn had too busy a brain to be much of a smoker. Now, however, when it was plain that Mr. Carleton had something to say to them, Charlton's cigar gave way to his attention; it was displaced from his mouth, and held in abeyance, while Thorn puffed away more intently than ever.
”Gentlemen,” Carleton began, ”I gave you, yesterday, reason to expect that so soon as circ.u.mstances permitted, you should have the opportunity which offended honour desires of trying sounder arguments than those of reason upon the offender. I have to tell you to-day that I will not give it you. I have thought further of it.”
”Is it a new insult that you mean by this, Sir?” exclaimed Rossitur, in astonishment. Thorn's cigar did not stir.
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