Page:Orley Farm (Serial Volume 5).pdf/46

160 of an hour's delay he was shown into the room by Mr. Crabwitz. 'And, Crabwitz,' said the barrister, before he addressed himself to his young friend, 'just run your eye over those papers, and let Mr. Bideawhile have them to-morrow morning; and, Crabwitz.'

'Yes, sir.'

'That opinion of Sir Richard's in the Ahatualpaca Mining Company—I have not seen it, have I?'

'It's all ready, Mr. Furnival.'

'I will look at it in five minutes. And now, my young friend, what can I do for you?'

It was quite clear from Mr. Furnival's tone and manner that he did not mean to devote much time to Lucius Mason, and that he was not generally anxious to hold any conversation with him on the subject in question. Such, indeed, was the case. Mr. Furnival was determined to pull Lady Mason out of the sea of trouble into which she had fallen, let the effort cost him what it might, but he did not wish to do so by the instrumentality, or even with the aid, of her son.

'Mr. Furnival,' began Mason, 'I want to ask your advice about these dreadful reports which are being spread on every side in Hamworth about my mother.'

'If you will allow me then to say so, I think that the course which you should pursue is very simple. Indeed there is, I think, only one course which you can pursue with proper deference to your mother's feelings.'

'And what is that, Mr. Furnival?'

'Do nothing, and say nothing, I fear from what I have heard that you have already done and said much more than was prudent.'

'But how am I to hear such things as these spoken of my own mother?'

'That depends on the people by whom the things are spoken. In this world, if we meet a chimney-sweep in the path we do not hustle with him for the right of way. Your mother is going next week to The Cleeve. It was only yesterday that I heard that the Noningsby people are going to call on her. You can hardly, I suppose, desire for your mother better friends than such as these. And can you not understand why such people gather to her at this moment? If you can understand it you will not trouble yourself to interfere much more with Mr. Dockwrath.'

There was a rebuke in this which Lucius Mason was forced to endure; but nevertheless as he retreated disconcerted from the barrister's chambers, he could not bring himself to think it right that such calumny should be borne without resistance. He knew but little as yet of the ordinary life of gentlemen in England; but he did know,—so at least he thought,—that it was the duty of a son to shield his mother from insult and libel.