England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; English fiction -- 19th century
"Very naturally, it seems to me, to know what had become of you. He
didn't see the report in the paper, and went searching for you."
"Does Ida know of this?" he asked, after a pause, during which Waymark
had remained standing with his arms crossed on the back of the chair.
"I have never told her. Why should I have done? Perhaps now you will
believe what I insisted upon before the trial, that there had been
nothing whatever--"
He spoke irritably, and was interrupted by the other with yet more
irritation.
"Never mention that again to me as long as you live, Waymark. If you do,
we shall quarrel, understand!"
"I have no more pleasure in referring to it than you have," said
Waymark, more calmly; "but I must justify myself when you attack me."
"How long has this been going on?" asked the other, after a silence.
"Some three months--perhaps more."
"Well, I think it would have been better if you'd been straightforward
about it, that's all. I don't know that I've anything more to say. We
know what we're about, and there's an end of it."
So saying, the old man went out of the room. There was a difference in
him henceforth, something which Ida noticed, though she could not
explain it. On the following day he spoke with her on a matter she was
surprised to hear him mention, her education. He had been thinking, he
said, that she ought to learn to play the piano, and be taught foreign
languages. Wouldn't she like him to find some lady who could live in
the house and teach her all these things? Ida's thoughts at once ran to
the conclusion that this had been suggested by Waymark, and, when she
found that her grandfather really wished it, gave a ready assent. A
week or two later the suitable person had been discovered--a lady of
some thirty years of age, by name Miss Hurst. She was agreeable and
refined, endowed, moreover, with the tact which was desirable in one
undertaking an office such as this. Ida found her companionship
pleasant, and Mr. Woodstock congratulated himself on having taken the
right step.
At the same time that the governess came to the house, Waymark left it.
He returned to his old lodgings, and, with an independence which was
partly his own impulse, partly the natural result of the slight
coolness towards him which had shown itself in Mr. Woodstock, set to
work to find a means of earning his living. This he was fortunate
enough to discover without any great delay; he obtained a place as
assistant in a circulating library. The payment was small, but he still
had his evenings free.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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