“But, before we go,” said Mrs. Beaumont, whispering, “let us settle what is to be said about the debts--_your_ debts you know. I fancy you’ll agree with me, that the less is said about this the better; and that, in short, the best will be to say nothing.” “Why so, madam? Surely you don’t think I mean to conceal my debts from our friend Mr. Palmer, at the very moment when I profess to tell him all my affairs, and to settle accounts with him and you, as my guardians!” “With him? But he has never acted, you know, as one of the guardians; therefore you are not called upon to settle accounts with him.” “Then why, ma’am, did you urge him to come down from London, to be present at the settlement of these accounts?” “As a compliment, and because I wish him to be present, as your father’s friend; but it is by no means essential that he should know every detail.” “I will do whichever you please, ma’am; I will either settle accounts with or without him.” “Oh! _with_ him, that is, in his presence, to be sure.” “Then he must know the whole.” “Why so? Your having contracted such debts will alter his opinion of your prudence and of mine, and may, perhaps, essentially alter--alter--” “His will? Be it so; that is the worst that can happen. As far as I am concerned, I would rather a thousand times it were so, than deceive him into a better opinion of me than I deserve.” “Nobly said! so like yourself, and like every thing I could wish: but, forgive me, if I did for you, what indeed I would not wish you to do for yourself. I have already told Mr. Palmer that you had no embarrassments; therefore, you cannot, and I am sure would not, unsay what I have said.” Mr. Beaumont stood fixed in astonishment. “But why, mother, did not you tell him the whole?” “My dear love, delicacy prevented me. He offered to relieve you from any embarrassments, if you had any; but I, having too much delicacy and pride to let my son put himself under pecuniary obligations, hastily answered, that you had no debts; for there was no other reply to be made, without offending poor Palmer, and hurting his generous feelings, which I would not do for the universe: and I considered too, that as all Palmer’s fortune will come to us in the end--” “Well, ma’am,” interrupted Mr. Beaumont, impatient of all these glosses and excuses, “the plain state of the case is, that I cannot contradict what my mother has said; therefore I will not settle accounts at all with Mr. Palmer.” “And what excuse _can_ I make to him, after sending for him express from London?” “That I must leave to you, mother.” “And what reason _can_ I give for thus withdrawing our family-confidence from such an old friend, and at the very moment when he is doing so much for us all?” “That I must leave to you, mother. I withdraw no confidence. I have pretended none--I will break none.” “Good Heavens! was not all I did and said for _your_ interest?”