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at once。 He must let the fellow see that he understood him。
'You are Mr。 Van Tromp？' he returned roughly； and without
taking any notice of the proffered hand。
'The same； sir；' replied the Admiral。 'Pray be seated。'
'No sir；' said the Squire； point…blank； 'I will not be
seated。 I am told that you are an admiral；' he added。
'No sir； I am not an admiral；' returned Van Tromp； who now
began to grow nettled and enter into the spirit of the
interview。
'Then why do you call yourself one； sir？'
'I have to ask your pardon； I do not；' says Van Tromp； as
grand as the Pope。
But nothing was of avail against the Squire。
'You sail under false colours from beginning to end；' he
said。 'Your very house was taken under a sham name。'
'It is not my house。 I am my daughter's guest；' replied the
Admiral。 'If it WERE my house … '
'Well？' said the Squire； 'what then？ hey？'
The Admiral looked at him nobly； but was silent。
'Look here；' said Mr。 Naseby； 'this intimidation is a waste
of time； it is thrown away on me； sir； it will not succeed
with me。 I will not permit you even to gain time by your
fencing。 Now； sir； I presume you understand what brings me
here。'
'I am entirely at a loss to account for your intrusion；' bows
and waves Van Tromp。
'I will try to tell you then。 I come here as a father' …
down came the riding…whip upon the table … 'I have right and
justice upon my side。 I understand your calculations； but
you calculated without me。 I am a man of the world； and I
see through you and your manoeuvres。 I am dealing now with a
conspiracy … I stigmatise it as such； and I will expose it
and crush it。 And now I order you to tell me how far things
have gone； and whither you have smuggled my unhappy son。'
'My God； sir！' Van Tromp broke out； 'I have had about enough
of this。 Your son？ God knows where he is for me！ What the
devil have I to do with your son？ My daughter is out； for
the matter of that； I might ask you where she was； and what
would you say to that？ But this is all midsummer madness。
Name your business distinctly； and be off。'
'How often am I to tell you？' cried the Squire。 'Where did
your daughter take my son to…day in that cursed pony
carriage？'
'In a pony carriage？' repeated Van Tromp。
'Yes； sir … with luggage。'
'Luggage？' … Van Tromp had turned a little pale。
'Luggage； I said … luggage！' shouted Naseby。 'You may spare
me this dissimulation。 Where's my son。 You are speaking to
a father； sir； a father。'
'But； sir； if this be true；' out came Van Tromp in a new key；
'it is I who have an explanation to demand？'
'Precisely。 There is the conspiracy；' retorted Naseby。
'Oh！' he added； 'I am a man of the world。 I can see through
and through you。'
Van Tromp began to understand。
'You speak a great deal about being a father； Mr。 Naseby；'
said he； 'I believe you forget that the appellation is common
to both of us。 I am at a loss to figure to myself； however
dimly； how any man … I have not said any gentleman … could so
brazenly insult another as you have been insulting me since
you entered this house。 For the first time I appreciate your
base insinuations； and I despise them and you。 You were； I
am told； a manufacturer； I am an artist； I have seen better
days； I have moved in societies where you would not be
received； and dined where you would be glad to pay a pound to
see me dining。 The so…called aristocracy of wealth； sir； I
despise。 I refuse to help you； I refuse to be helped by you。
There lies the door。'
And the Admiral stood forth in a halo。
It was then that Dick entered。 He had been waiting in the
porch for some time back； and Esther had been listlessly
standing by his side。 He had put out his hand to bar her
entrance； and she had submitted without surprise； and though
she seemed to listen； she scarcely appeared to comprehend。
Dick； on his part； was as white as a sheet； his eyes burned
and his lips trembled with anger as he thrust the door
suddenly open； introduced Esther with ceremonious gallantry；
and stood forward and knocked his hat firmer on his head like
a man about to leap。
'What is all this？' he demanded。
'Is this your father； Mr。 Naseby？' inquired the Admiral。
'It is；' said the young man。
'I make you my compliments；' returned Van Tromp。
'Dick！' cried his father； suddenly breaking forth； 'it is not
too late； is it？ I have come here in time to save you。
Come； come away with me … come away from this place。'
And he fawned upon Dick with his hands。
'Keep your hands off me；' cried Dick； not meaning unkindness；
but because his nerves were shattered by so many successive
miseries。
'No； no；' said the old man； 'don't repulse your father； Dick；
when he has come here to save you。 Don't repulse me； my boy。
Perhaps I have not been kind to you； not quite considerate；
too harsh； my boy； it was not for want of love。 Think of old
times。 I was kind to you then； was I not？ When you were a
child； and your mother was with us。' Mr。 Naseby was
interrupted by a sort of sob。 Dick stood looking at him in a
maze。 'Come away；' pursued the father in a whisper； 'you
need not be afraid of any consequences。 I am a man of the
world； Dick； and she can have no claim on you … no claim； I
tell you； and we'll be handsome too； Dick … we'll give them a
good round figure； father and daughter； and there's an end。'
He had been trying to get Dick towards the door； but the
latter stood off。
'You had better take care； sir； how you insult that lady；'
said the son； as black as night。
'You would not choose between your father and your mistress？'
said the father。
'What do you call her； sir？' cried Dick； high and clear。
Forbearance and patience were not among Mr。 Naseby's
qualities。
'I called her your mistress；' he shouted； 'and I might have
called her a … '
'That is an unmanly lie；' replied Dick； slowly。
'Dick！' cried the father； 'Dick！'
'I do not care；' said the son； strengthening himself against
his own heart； 'I … I have said it； and it is the truth。'
There was a pause。
'Dick；' said the old man at last； in a voice that was shaken
as by a gale of wind； 'I am going。 I leave you with your
friends； sir … with your friends。 I came to serve you； and
now I go away a broken man。 For years I have seen this
coming； and now it has come。 You never loved me。 Now you
have been the death of me。 You may boast of that。 Now I
leave you。 God pardon you。'
With that he was gone； and the three who remained together
heard his horse's hoofs descend the lane。 Esther had not
made a sign throughout the interview； and still kept silence
now that it was over； but the Admiral； who had once or twice
moved forward and drawn back again； now advanced for good。
'You are a man of spirit； sir；' said he to Dick； 'but though
I am no friend to parental interference； I will say that you
were heavy on the governor。' Then he added with a chuckle：
'You began； Richard； with a silver spoon； and here you are in
the water like the rest。 Work； work； nothing like work。 You
have parts； you have manners； why； with application you may
die a millionaire！' Dick shook himself。 He took Esther by
the hand； looking at her mournfully。
'Then this is farewell；' he said。
'Yes；' she answered。 There was no tone in her voice； and she
did not return his gaze。
'For ever；' added Dick。
'For ever；' she repeated mechanically。
'I have had hard measure；' he continued。 'In time I believe
I could have shown you I was worthy； and there was no time
long enough to show how much I loved you。 But it was not to
be。 I have lost all。'
He relinquished her hand； still looking at her； and she
turned to leave the room。
'Why； what in fortune's name is the meaning of all thi