Volume I Part 77 (1/2)
”I am sorry, Sir,” said Fleda, smiling now, ”that you have so many silver pennies to dispose of ? we shall never get at the gold.”
”I will do my very best,” said he.
So he did, and made himself agreeable that evening to every one of the circle; though Fleda's sole reason for liking to see him come in had been, that she was glad of everything that served to keep Charlton's attention from home subjects. She saw sometimes the threatening of a cloud that troubled her.
But the Evelyns and Thorn, and everybody else whom they knew, left the Pool at last, before Charlton, who was sufficiently well again, had near run out his furlough; and then the cloud, which had only showed itself by turns during all those weeks, gathered and settled determinately upon his brow.
He had long ago supplied the want of a newspaper. One evening in September, the family were sitting in the room where they had had tea, for the benefit of the fire, when Barby pushed open the kitchen door and came in.
”Fleda, will you let me have one of the last papers? I've a notion to look at it.”
Fleda rose and went to rummaging in the cupboards.
”You can have it again in a little while,” said Barby, considerately.
The paper was found, and Miss Elster went out with it.
”What an unendurable piece of ill-manners that woman is!” said Charlton.
”She has no idea of being ill-mannered, I a.s.sure you,” said Fleda,.
His voice was like a brewing storm ? hers was so clear and soft that it made a lull in spite of him. But he began again.
”There is no necessity for submitting to impertinence. I never would do it.”
”I have no doubt you never will,” said his father. ”Unless you can't help yourself.”
”Is there any good reason, Sir, why you should not have proper servants in the house?”
”A very good reason,” said Mr. Rossitur. ”Fleda would be in despair.”
”Is there none beside that?” said Charlton, dryly.
”None ? except a trifling one,” Mr. Rossitur answered, in the same tone.
”We cannot afford it, dear Charlton,” said his mother, softly.
There was a silence, during which Fleda moralized on the ways people take to make themselves uncomfortable.
”Does that man ? to whom you let the farm ? does he do his duty?”
”I am not the keeper of his conscience.”
” I am afraid it would be a small charge to any one,” said Fleda.
”But are you the keeper of the gains you ought to have from him? Does he deal fairly by you?”
”May I ask first what interest it is of yours?”
”It is my interest, Sir, because I come home and find the family living upon the exertions of Hugh and Fleda, and find them growing thin and pale under it.”
”You, at least, are free from all pains of the kind, Captain Rossitur.”
”Don't listen to him, uncle Rolf!” said Fleda, going round to her uncle, and making, as she pa.s.sed, a most warning impression upon Charlton's arm ? ”don't mind what he says ?