Page:Gissing - The Nether World, vol. II, 1889.djvu/95

 the better; it’s the future that I care about now. I want to put things right between us,—as they ought to be between father and son. You understand me, I hope?”

Michael nodded, keeping his eyes upon the ground. Again there was a silence, then Joseph said that if Jane would come in and speak a few words,—so as to make things home-like,—it would be time for him to take his leave for the present. At her grandfather’s summons, Jane entered the room. She was still oppressed by the strangeness of her position, and with difficulty took part in the colloquy. Joseph, still touching the note of humility in his talk, eyed his relatives alternately, and exhibited reluctance to quit them.

When he returned to the Close, it was with a face expressing dissatisfaction. Clem’s eager inquiries he met at first with an ill-tempered phrase or two, which informed her of nothing; but when dinner was over he allowed himself to be drawn into a confidential talk, in which Mrs. Peckover took part. The old man, he remarked, was devilish