"Vincy, if you insist on quarrelling with me, it will be exceedingly

painful to Harriet as well as myself," said Mr. Bulstrode, with a

trifle more eagerness and paleness than usual.

"I don't want to quarrel. It's for my interest--and perhaps for yours

too--that we should be friends. I bear you no grudge; I think no worse

of you than I do of other people. A man who half starves himself, and

goes the length in family prayers, and so on, that you do, believes in

his religion whatever it may be: you could turn over your capital just

as fast with cursing and swearing:--plenty of fellows do. You like to

be master, there's no denying that; you must be first chop in heaven,

else you won't like it much. But you're my sister's husband, and we

ought to stick together; and if I know Harriet, she'll consider it your

fault if we quarrel because you strain at a gnat in this way, and

refuse to do Fred a good turn. And I don't mean to say I shall bear it

well. I consider it unhandsome."

Mr. Vincy rose, began to button his great-coat, and looked steadily at

his brother-in-law, meaning to imply a demand for a decisive answer.

This was not the first time that Mr. Bulstrode had begun by admonishing

Mr. Vincy, and had ended by seeing a very unsatisfactory reflection of

himself in the coarse unflattering mirror which that manufacturer's

mind presented to the subtler lights and shadows of his fellow-men; and

perhaps his experience ought to have warned him how the scene would

end. But a full-fed fountain will be generous with its waters even in

the rain, when they are worse than useless; and a fine fount of

admonition is apt to be equally irrepressible.

It was not in Mr. Bulstrode's nature to comply directly in consequence

of uncomfortable suggestions. Before changing his course, he always

needed to shape his motives and bring them into accordance with his

habitual standard. He said, at last--

"I will reflect a little, Vincy. I will mention the subject to

Harriet. I shall probably send you a letter."

"Very well. As soon as you can, please. I hope it will all be settled

before I see you to-morrow."




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