Phoebe, Junior Part 35

"He is not so severe now, I'll be bound," said Mr. Copperhead. "Lets you have your fun a little, as Clarence tells me; don't you, May? Girls will be girls, and boys, boys, whatever we do; and I am sure, Miss Phoebe, you have been very entertaining, as you always were."

"I have done my best," said Phoebe, looking him in the face. "I should have had a dull life but for the Parsonage, and I have tried to be grateful. I have accompanied your son on the violin a great many evenings, and I hope our friends have liked it. Mr. Clarence is a promising player, though I should like him to trust less to his ear; but we always pulled through."

"Thanks to you," said Clarence, in the middle of his cutlet

He did not quite see why she should flourish this music in his father's face; but still he was loyal in a dull fashion, and he was obstinate, and did not mean to be "sat upon," to use his own words. As for Phoebe, her quick mind caught at once the best line of policy. She determined to deliver Ursula, and she determined at the same time to let her future father-in-law (if he was to be her father-in-law) see what sort of a person he had to deal with. As soon as she made up her mind, her agitation disappeared. It was only the uncertainty that had cowed her; now she saw what to do.

"So!" said Mr. Copperhead, "musical evenings! I hope you have not turned poor Clar's head among you, young ladies. It's not a very strong head; and two is more than a match for one. I dare say he has had no chance between you."

"Make yourself quite easy," said Phoebe, with her sweetest smile; "he was only one of a party. Mr. Reginald May and Mr. Northcote are both very pleasant companions. Your son is bored sometimes, but the rest of us are never bored. You see, he has been accustomed to more brilliant society; but as for us, we have no particular pretensions. We have been very happy. And if there has been two to one, it has been the other way."

"I think I must let your people know of your gaieties, Miss Phoebe. If your mother sent you here, I don't doubt it was for a purpose, eh? She knows what she's about, and she won't like it if she knows you are fritting away your chances and your attentions. She has an eye for business, has Mrs. Beecham," said the leading member, with a laugh.

"You cannot tell mamma more about me than she knows already," said Phoebe, with rising colour.

And by this time every one else at table was uncomfortable. Even Clarence, who had a dull appreciation of his father's jokes when they were not levelled at himself, and who was by no means indisposed to believe that "girls," generally, were "after him," and that even in this particular case Phoebe herself might have come to Carlingford on purpose to complete his conquest, even Clarence was moved.

"I don't know what you mean by brilliant society," he said. "I know I'm the dull one among you clever people. I don't say much, but I know it all the same; and it's awfully good of you to pull me through all that music. I don't begrudge you your laugh after. Is my mother coming over, sir, to see the place?"

"To see what? There is not much in the place," said Mr. Copperhead.

"You're coming back with me, my boy. I hope it won't inconvenience you, May. I've other views for him. Circ.u.mstances alter cases, you know. I've been turning it over in my head, and I think I can see my way to another arrangement."

"That, of course, is entirely in your own hands," said Mr. May, with a cheerfulness he did not feel. His heart sank, but every rule of good society made it inc.u.mbent upon him to show no failure at such a moment.

"Copperhead, see that your father has some wine. Well, I suppose our poor little Carlingford is not much of a place; no trade, no movement, no manufactures--"

"The sort of place that should be cleared off the face of the earth,"

said the millionnaire; "meaning no offence, of course. That's my opinion in respect to country towns. What's the good of them? Nests of gossip, places where people waste their time, and don't even amuse themselves.

Give me green fields and London, that is my sort. I don't care if there was not another blessed brick in the country. There is always something that will grow in a field, corn or fat beasts--not that we couldn't get all that cheaper from over the water if it was managed as it ought to be. But a place like this, what's the good of it? Almshouses and chaplains, and that kind of rubbish, and old women; there's old women by the score."

"They must be somewhere, I suppose," said Mr. May. "We cannot kill them off, if they are inoffensive, and keep the laws. So that, after all, a country town is of use."

"Kill 'em off--no; it's against what you benevolent humbugs call the spirit of the time, and Christianity, and all that; but there's such a thing as carrying Christianity too far; that's my opinion. There's your almshouses now. What's the principle of them? I call it encouraging those old beggars to live," said Mr. Copperhead; "giving them permission to burden the community as long as they can manage it; a dead mistake, depend upon it, the greatest mistake in the world."

"I think there is a great deal to be said in favour of Euthanasia," said Phoebe, quietly stepping into the conversation; "but then it would have to be with the consent of the victims. When any one found himself useless, unnecessary to the world, or unhappy in it--"

"Humbug and nonsense," said Mr. Copperhead. "A likely thing for anybody to do. No, it is not a question for law-making. Let 'em die out naturally, that's my opinion. Don't do anything to hurry 'em--that is, I don't see my way to it; but let 'em go quiet, and don't bring 'em cordials and feather-beds, and all that middyeval nonsense, to keep 'em going as long as possible. It's wicked, that's what it is."

"At all events," said Mr. May, who, poor man, was bent on pleasing, "it is refreshing to hear opinions so bold and original. Something new is always a blessing. I cannot say I agree with you--"

"No parson would be bold enough for that. Christianity's been a capital thing for the world," said Mr. Copperhead, "I don't say a word against it; but in these go-ahead days, sir, we've had enough of it, that's to say when it's carried too far. All this fuss about the poor, all the row about dragging up a lot of poor little beggars to live that had far better die, and your almshouses to keep the old ones going, past all nature! Shovel the mould over them, that's the thing for the world; let 'em die when they ought to die; and let them live who can live--that's my way of thinking--and what's more, I'm right."

"What a fine thing for you, Mr. Clarence," cried Phoebe, "who are going into Parliament! to take up your father's idea and work it out. What a speech you could make on the subject! I saw a hospital once in Paris that would make such a wonderful ill.u.s.tration. I'll tell you about it if you like. Poor old wretched people whose life was nothing but wretchedness kept going, kept living for years and years--why, no one could tell; for I am sure it would have been better, far better for them to die and be done with it. What a speech you might make when you bring a bill into Parliament to abolish almshouses and all sorts of charities!" she added with a laugh, turning from Clarence, at whom she had been looking, to his father, who was puzzled, and did not know how to understand the young woman's eyes.

"I'll never make much of a speech in Parliament," said Clarence; "unless you make it for me," he added in an undertone. But no one else was speaking, and the undertone was quite audible. Meanwhile Phoebe had not ceased to look at his father, and held him with a pair of eyes not like the Ancient Mariner's. Mr. Copperhead was confused, his power even of insolence was cowed for the moment. He obeyed quite docilely the movement made to leave the table. Was it possible that she defied him, this Minister's daughter, and measured her strength against his? Mr.

Copperhead felt as if he could have shaken the impertinent girl, but dared not, being where he was.

And lunch being over, Mr. May led his pupil's father into his study. "I want to show you what your boy has been doing," he said, pointing to a line of books which made the millionnaire's soul shrink within him. "I have not bothered him with cla.s.sics; what was the use as he is not going back to Oxford? but I have done my best for him in a practical way. He has read history, largely as you see, and as much as I could give him of political and const.i.tutional--"

"Yes, yes," said Mr. Copperhead, reading the t.i.tles of some of the books under his breath. They impressed him deeply, and took away for a moment his self-confidence. It was his habit to boast that he knew nothing about books; but in their presence he shrank, feeling that they were greater than he, which was, there is little doubt, a sign of grace.

"If you wish to remove Clarence," said Mr. May, "perhaps I had better make out a scheme of reading for him."

"Look here," cried the rich man, "I didn't want to remove him; but there he is, the first I see of him, cheek for jowl with a good-looking girl.

I don't mean to say a word against Miss May, I've no doubt she's charming; but anyhow there she is side by side with Clar, who is no more able to resist that sort of thing--"

Mr. May laughed, and this time with unmitigated amus.e.m.e.nt. "Do you mean Ursula? I think I can answer for it that she made no attempts upon him for which resistance would be necessary."

"That's all very well to say; but bless you they do it, every one," said Mr. Copperhead, "without exception, when a young fellow's well off and well-looking; and as if one wasn't bad enough, you've got Phoebe Beecham.

You won't tell me she doesn't mean anything?--up to any mischief, a real minister's daughter. I don't mean anything uncivil to you or yours. I suppose a parson's different; but we know what a minister's daughter is in our connection. Like the men themselves, in short, who are always pouncing on some girl with a fortune if her relations don't take care.

And Clarence is as weak as a baby; he takes after his mother--a poor bit of a feeble creature, though he's like me in exterior. That's how it is, you perceive; I don't quite see my way to letting him go on."

"That is of course precisely as you please," said Mr. May, somewhat sharply. He would preserve his dignity even though his heart was sinking; but he could not keep that tone of sharpness out of his voice.

"Of course it is as I please. I'll pay up of course for the second three months, if you choose, fair and square. I meant him to stay, and I'll pay. But that's all. You've no further claim upon me that I know of; and I must say that for a tutor, a regular coach, to keep girls in his house, daughters, or whatever you choose to call them, is something monstrous. It's a thing no fellow's friends would put up with. It's what I call dishonourable."

"Perhaps," said Mr. May, with all the self-possession he was master of, "you will let your son know at once that he must pack and go. I dare say, Sir Robert can take him, and we will send the portmanteaux. In such a case, it is better there should not be a moment's delay."

"Clarence!" cried Mr. Copperhead, walking to the door and opening it.

"Come along, look sharp, you're to go. I'll take you with me, do you hear? And May will see to sending you your boxes. Quick, come along, there's no time to lose."

"Go!" said Clarence, coming in startled, with his eyebrows rising almost into his hair. "Go? What do you mean? Out of the Parsonage? The Governor's been having too much sherry," he said, coming close to Mr.

May's arm; he had himself been taking too much of the sherry, for the good reason that n.o.body had taken any notice of what he did, and that he had foreseen the excitement that was coming. "You don't mean it, I know," he added aloud; "I'll go over for the night if Sir Robert will have me, and see my mother--"

"Ask May," said Mr. Copperhead, "you'll believe him, I suppose; he's as glad to get rid of you as I am to take you away."

"Is this true?" cried Clarence, roused and wondering, "and if so, what's happened? I ain't a baby, you know, to be bundled about from one to another. The Governor forgets that."

"Your father," said Mr. May, "chooses to remove you, and that is all I choose to say."

"But, by George, I can say a deal more," said Mr. Copperhead. "You simpleton, do you think I am going to leave you here where there's man-traps about? None of such nonsense for me. Put your things together, I tell you. Phoebe Beecham's bad enough at home; but if she thinks she's to have you here to pluck at her leisure, she and her friends--"

"W--hew!" said Clarence, with a long whistle. "So that's it. I am very sorry, father, if these are your sentiments; but I may as well tell you at once I shan't go."

"You--must go."

"No," he said, squaring his shoulders and putting out his shirt front; he had never been roused into rebellion before, and perhaps without these extra gla.s.ses of sherry he would not have had the courage now. But what with sherry, and what with _amour propre_, and what with the thing he called love, Clarence Copperhead mounted all at once upon a pedestal.

He had a certain dogged obstinacy in him, suspected by n.o.body but his mother, who had little enough to say in the guidance of her boy. He set himself square like a pugilist, which was his notion of resistance. Mr.

May looked on with a curious mixture of feelings. His own sudden and foolish hope was over, and what did it matter to him whether the detestable father or the coa.r.s.e son should win? He turned away from them with contempt, which was made sharp by their utter uselessness to himself. Had it been possible that he might have what he wanted from Mr. Copperhead, his patience would have held out against any trial; but the moment that hope was over, what further interest had he in the question? He went to his writing-table and sat down there, leaving them to fight it out as they would, by themselves. It was no affair of his.

CHAPTER x.x.xVII.

A PLEASANT EVENING.

The result, however, was a compromise. Clarence Copperhead went off with his father and Sir Robert to the Hall for the night, but was to return next day, and Phoebe was left in a condition of some excitement behind them, not quite knowing what to think. She was as sure as ever that he had made up his mind to propose; but he had not done it, and what effect his father's visit, and perhaps his mother's entreaties, might have upon him, Phoebe could not tell. The crisis excited her beyond any excitement which she would have thought possible in respect to Clarence Copperhead.