Page:Gaskell--A dark night's work.djvu/174

Rh originally proposed to give Ellinor. “Unwisely,” because he might have read Ralph’s character better than to suppose he would easily consent to any diminution without good and sufficient reason being given; or without some promise of compensating advantages in the future for the present sacrifice asked from him. But, perhaps, Mr. Wilkins, dulled as he was by wine, thought he could allege a good and sufficient reason, for he said:

“You must not be hard upon me, Ralph. That promise was made before—before I exactly knew the state of my affairs!”

“Before Dunster’s disappearance, in fact,” said Mr. Corbet, fixing his steady, penetrating eyes on Mr. Wilkins’s countenance.

“Yes—exactly—before Dunster’s” mumbled out Mr. Wilkins, red and confused, and not finishing his sentence.

“By the way,” said Ralph (for with careful carelessness of manner he thought he could extract something of the real nature of the impending disgrace from his companion, in the state in which he then was; and if he only knew more about this danger he could guard against it; guard others; perhaps himself). “By the way, have you ever heard anything of Dunster since he went off to—America, isn’t it thought?”