Page:Braddon--The Trail of the Serpent.djvu/19

Rh my nephew; and on your arrival in Gardenford, place the bills in the bank for future exigencies. And as I wish your mother to know nothing of our little plan until you are gone, the best thing you can do is to start before any one is up—to-morrow morning."

"I will start at day-break. I can leave a note for my mother." "No, no," said the uncle, "I will tell her all. You can write directly you reach your destination. Now, you will think it cruel of me to ask you to leave your home on the very night of your return to it; but it is quite as well, my dear boy, to strike while the iron's hot. If you remain here your good resolutions may be vanquished by old influences; for the best resolution, Richard, is but a seed, and if it doesn't bear the fruit of a good action, it is less than worthless, for it is a lie, and promises what it doesn't perform. I've a higher opinion of you than to think that you brought no better fruit of your penitence home to your loving mother than empty resolutions. I believe you have a steady determination to reform."

"You only do me justice in that belief, sir. I ask nothing better than the opportunity of showing that I am in earnest."

Mr. Harding is quite satisfied, and once more suggests that Richard should depart very early the next day.

"I will leave this house at five in the morning," said the nephew; "a train starts for Gardenford about six. I shall creep out quietly, and not disturb any one. I know the way out of the dear old house—I can get out of the drawing-room window, and need not unlock the hall-door; for I know that good stupid old woman Martha sleeps with the key under her pillow."

"Ah, by the bye, where does Martha mean to put you to-night?" "In the little back parlour, I think she said; the room under this."

The uncle and nephew went down to this little parlour, where they found old Martha making up a bed on the sofa.

"You will sleep very comfortably here for to-night, Master Richard," said the old woman; "but if my mistress doesn't have this ceiling mended before long there'll be an accident some day." They all looked up at the ceiling. The plaster had fallen in several places, and there were one or two cracks of considerable size.

"If it was daylight," grumbled the old woman, "you could see through into Mister Harding's bedroom, for his worship won't have a carpet."