第8章

'But a word would let me know how the land lies.You know me well enough to be aware that I am the last man to be curious as to what others think of me.Indeed I do not care about it as much as a man should do.I am utterly indifferent to the opinion of the world at large, and would never object to the company of a pleasant person because the pleasant person abused me behind my back.What I value is the pleasantness of the man, and not the liking or disliking for myself.But here the dearest aim of my life is concerned, and I might be guided either this way or that, or to my great advantage, by knowing whether I stand well or ill with him.'

'You have dined three times within the last three months in Manchester Square, and I don't know any other man,--certainly no other young man,--who has had such strong proof of intimacy from my father.'

'Yes, and I know my advantages.But I have been there as your friend, not his.'

'He doesn't care twopence about my friends.I wanted to give Charlie Skate a dinner, but my father wouldn't have him at any price.'

'Charlie Skate is out at elbows, and bets at billiards.I am respectable,--or at any rate your father thinks so.Your father is more anxious about you than you are aware of, and wishes to make his house pleasant to you as long as he can do so to your advantage.As far as you are concerned he rather approves of me, fancying that my turn for making money is stronger than my turn for spending it.Nevertheless, he looks upon me as a friend of yours rather than his own.Though he has given me three dinners in three months,--and I own the greatness of his hospitality,--I don't suppose he ever said a word in my favour.I wish I knew what he does say.'

'He says he knows nothing about you.'

'Oh;--that's it, is it? Then he can know no harm.When next he says so ask him how many of the men who dine at his house he can say as much.Good night;--I won't keep you any longer.But Ican tell you this;--if between us we can manage to handle him rightly, you may get your seat in Parliament and I may get my wife;--that is, of course, if she will have me.'

Then they parted, but Lopez remained in the pathway, walking up and down by the side of the old military club, thinking of things.He certainly knew his friend, the younger Wharton intimately, appreciating the man's good qualities, and being fully aware of the man's weakness.By his questions he had extracted quite enough to assure himself that Emily's father would be adverse to his proposition.He had not felt much doubt before, but now he was certain.'He doesn't know much about me,'

he said, musing to himself.'Well, no; he doesn't;--and there isn't very much that I can tell him.Of course he's wise,--as wisdom goes.But then, wise men do do foolish things at intervals.The discreetest of city bankers are talked out of their money; the most scrupulous of matrons are talked out of their virtue; the most experienced of statesmen are talked out of their principles.And who can really calculate chances? Men who lead forlorn hopes generally push through without being wounded;--and the fifth or sixth heir comes to a title.' So much he said, palpably, though to himself with his inner voice.Then--impalpably, with no even inner voice,--he asked himself what chance he might have of prevailing with the girl herself; and he almost ventured to tell himself that in that direction, he need not despair.

In very truth he loved the girl and reverenced her, believing her to be better and higher and nobler than other human beings,--as a man does when he is in love; and so believing, he had those doubts as to his own success which such reverence produces.