Page:Gissing - The Nether World, vol. III, 1889.djvu/97

 easy thing to put an end to your life. You have a duty to your father.”

She bent her head.

“I think of him. He is goodness itself to me. There are fathers who would have shut the door in my face. I know better now than I could when I was only a child how hard his life has been; he and I are like each other in so many ways; he has always been fighting against cruel circumstances. It’s right that you, who have been his true and helpful friend, should remind me of my duty to him.”

A pause; then Sidney asked:

“Do you wish me to speak to him very soon about your finding occupation?”

“If you will. If you could think of anything.”

He moved, but still delayed his offer to take leave.

“You said just now,” Clara continued, falteringly, “that you did not try to express sympathy, because words seemed of no use. How am I to find words of thanks to you for coming here and listening to what I had to say?”

“But surely so simple an act of friendship”