Part 39 (1/2)
”Are you satisfied,” inquired Mr Pownal, ”with your situation at Hillsdale?”
”Perfectly,” replied the young man ”My time has passed very happily there”
”I meant it,” continued Mr Pownal, ”only as an interlude I sent you thither for the purpose ofyou better acquainted with the branches of our business, intending to leave it to your choice either to remain or return to the city, and resu-house I confess, the latter would suit me better, because you would be nearer to me; but consult your inclinations, and I shall be satisfied”
”My dear sir,” said Pownal, with some little hesitation, ”you are always kind, and since you leave it to my choice, I hope it will not offend you if I say, that for the present I should prefer to re that you should wish to be with your father, whom, in so wonderful a hted with him, and his noble qualities must be restored to the world We nance to society and its habits”
”I hope for such a result,” said the youngfor solitude”
”'Tiainst any two,' says the Spanish proverb I'll be bound ill metamorphose him yet Do you think the business at Hillsdale is capable of much extension?”
”I aive you my reasons for the opinion now, if you wish”
”Never mind for the present It after all can make no difference in what I a at your balance-sheet, and must say that, for a first year's business, you have done remarkably well You have e, and profits satisfactory You have the merchant in you, Thomas, and I must try to secure you for us beyond the power of loss Hoould you like to becooodness overpowers enerous You will do with me as you please But what say your partners?”
”I have consulted with them, and they are of the same opinion as myself, and desire your admission I have drawn up the terms, which, I hope, will please you, on this slip of paper, and that you e, have directed a small sum to be carried to your credit on the books, which you will also find jotted down on the paper”
”How can I thank you, sir?” said Pownal, receiving the paper, and preparing, without exa it, to place it in his pocket
”But that is not like a , ”to accept of a contract without looking at it Read it, Thoe”
”I a to trust my interests, my life, to you, sir, and it is unnecessary But it is your coht of beco at some time a member of the firm, wherein he had received his h the mind of Pownal, but the conditions upon which he was now aduine expectations
The sum of money, too, carried to the credit of his account as a capital, on which to commence, deserved a better name than that of a small sum, which the opulent merchant had called it Pownal saw himself now at once elevated into a condition, not only to supply the wants of his father and himself, but to warrant him to cherish hopes for the success of other plans that lay very near his heart As the thought of Anne Bernard occurred to hienerous benefactor, it seeuilty of a wrong in withholding any part of his confidence froly tempted to ad natural in such cases, and the consideration that he was not perfectly sure his affection was returned by Anne, restrained hienerosity sohis hopes
”Nay,” said the s This in with When you are married I will double it”
The tell-tale cheeks of Pownal excited the suspicions of the old gentleman, whose eyes were fastened on hi, ”have I found you out, Thomas? I do not believe, on the whole, the bribe will be necessary I understand now your enthusiasm about the beauties of Hillsdale But never blush
There's no harood taste I was in love twenty ti be, eh?”
”My dear sir,” said Pownal sh years hence, to think of these things In a matter of this kind, I know of no better example to follow, than your own”
”No, no, no, Thomas, do not i, and were I to coain, I should not craith such a snail's pace towards it as formerly But I have no fear of you or that my joints will be too stiff to dance on the joyful occasion”
The parting was such as ether under circuular, where on the one side there was a sense of obligation, it was a pleasure to cherish, and on the other, the yet higher gratification of conferring happiness As Holden wrung the hand of Mr Poho accompanied them to the vessel, that was to take the upon his head ”The Als of Heaven above, and blessings of the deep that lieth under
May thy bow abide in strength, and the arhty God of Jacob”
Knowing how little his father prized the things of this world Pownal had not communicated to him before their departure the liberal conduct of the noble merchant they had just left, but now, in a conversation one day, in which they reviewed the past, and, notwithstanding the Solitary's faith in the speedy coe, speculated on the future, he disclosed the last evidence of the affection of his preserver Holden listened with a gratified air, for how could he be otherwise than pleased that the worth and amiable qualities of his son, had awakened so deep an interest in the heart of another, but replied,
”It ell old and silver of others”
The young ious notions, was silent, for it was a subject which could not be adverted to without great delicacy, and danger of vehement bursts of enthusiasm
”Thou comprehendest me not,” said Holden ”I say thou art in no want of the dross hichvanities of the world”
”If it is your wish, father, I will return the gift,” said Pownal, ”though I knoill hurt the generous heart of the giver”