Blind Love

Mountjoy concluded that the subject was disagreeable to her. "After the

opinion of him which you expressed in your letter to me," he said, "I

ought not to have spoken of the doctor. Pray forgive me."

Iris looked distressed. "Oh, you are quite mistaken! The poor doctor

has been sadly misjudged; and I"--she shook her head, and sighed

penitently--"and, I," she resumed, "am one among other people who have

ignorantly wronged him. Pray consult my husband. Hear what he can tell

you--and you will pity Mr. Vimpany. The newspaper makes such large

demands on our means that we can do little to help him. With your

recommendation he might find some employment."

"He has already asked me to assist him, Iris; and I have refused. I

can't agree with your change of opinion about Mr. Vimpany."

"Why not? Is it because he has separated from his wife?"

"That is one reason, among many others," Mountjoy replied.

"Indeed, indeed you are wrong! Lord Harry has known Mrs. Vimpany for

years, and he says--I am truly sorry to hear it--that the separation is

her fault."

Hugh changed the subject again. The purpose which had mainly induced

him to leave England had not been mentioned yet.

Alluding to the newspaper, and to the heavy pecuniary demands made by

the preliminary expenses of the new journal, he reminded Iris that

their long and intimate friendship permitted him to feel some interest

in her affairs. "I won't venture to express an opinion," he added; "let

me only ask if Lord Harry's investments in this speculation have

compelled him to make some use of your little fortune?"

"My husband refused to touch my fortune," Iris answered. "But"--She

paused, there. "Do you know how honourably, how nobly, he has behaved?"

she abruptly resumed. "He has insured his life: he has burdened himself

with the payment of a large sum of money every year. And all for me, if

I am so unfortunate (which God forbid!) as to survive him. When a large

share in the newspaper was for sale, do you think I could be ungrateful

enough to let him lose the chance of making our fortune, when the

profits begin to come in? I insisted on advancing the money--we almost

quarrelled about it--but, you know how sweet he is. I said: 'Don't

distress me'; and the dearest of men let me have my own way."

Mountjoy listened in silence. To have expressed what he felt would have

been only to mortify and offend Iris. Old habit (as he had said) had

made the idea of devoting himself to her interests the uppermost idea

in his mind. He asked if the money had all been spent. Hearing that

some of it was still left, he resolved on making the attempt to secure

the remains of her fortune to herself.