Harry breakfasted with the family the next morning as
usual, and thence went to his ordinary duties in the office.
A certain awkward feeling came over him as he met Emmerson,
but, from the manner of that gentleman, he could
not gather any reason to suppose he had detected his state
at their last night's meeting, and he concluded, with a hearty
feeling of relief, that in the darkness of night, and from
what he presumed had been his own power of self-control,
his intoxication, which he firmly resolved should never be
repeated, had entirely escaped his attention.

“You have a pamphlet in your room, I believe, from the
office library, which I wish very much to consult,” said Emmerson
to Harry in the afternoon.

“Yes, I took it to look at the proposed — Bill.”

“Why, that's what I wished to look at,” said Emmerson.

“Perhaps we are occupied on the same subject,” said
Harry. “I'm going to address the meeting to-night.”

“You! you address the meeting?” said Emmerson.

“Certainly: why not?”

“Oh, I do not say `not' at all,” said he, with a smile,
“only I did not know it was your intention. Have you
prepared anything?”

[figure description] Page 032.[end figure description]

“A few notes. I shall scarcely use them, however.
When I speak I very soon get beyond my notes.”

“Let me see them, will you?” said Emmerson. “It is
barely possible I may wish to say something, but not a
speech.”

Harry handed the notes, and Emmerson looked them over
with an air of no great interest.

“Oh! ah! that's the view you take, is it?”

“Yes; but the most important I don't put on paper, or
only a single word, to bring the point to my memory. I
am resolved not to accustom myself to dependance on memoranda,
but to begin young, and throw myself at once upon
all the uncertainty, or perhaps,” he added, with a smile,
“others may think it the certainty, of extemporaneous speaking;
that is—”

He was going to explain, but Emmerson interrupted him.

“Well, I see your drift here. It is good, certainly; but
hadn't you better leave out this—for instance, this paragraph?”

“Oh no: why so? that is a common opinion.”

“But your mode of proving it is not so common, nor do
I think it quite correct.”

“Well, if you think so, I'll leave it out in deference to
you.”

“You had better: though I really think you give yourself
more trouble, in speaking at all, than the matter is likely
to be worth. The subject has no real interest. I have
not made the least attempt to go into it by previous study.”

At dinner Harry was a breathless listener to an interesting
conversation. The family were speaking of Fanny Elton,
and Mary insisted that something had occurred to displease
her.

“She is not the same in her manner to me,” said she;
“she is cold and reserved. Her refusal to dine with us
yesterday, I am convinced, was not caused by indisposition,
although she really is not well. But how often has she
come to us when she was not well? What harm could it
have done her just to have dined here instead of at home?
And she refuses to come to-day, refuses to dine with us on
Thursday, and to go to the theatre with us in the evening.”

“Nonsense,” said Mr. Lennox. “Who would—what
could offend Fanny, I should like to know? She could not
suspect any one in this family of an intention to offend her,

[figure description] Page 033.[end figure description]

and I don't think she is the sort of person to be offended
when she knows there has been no intention.”

“How do you account, then, for these three refusals—this
sudden withdrawal of her consent to go to the theatre on
Thursday—for her curious manner?”

“I'll go round this evening,” said Frank, “and see if I
can persuade her, and you shall go with me.”

“No,” said Mary, “I will not. To say the truth, I am
a little hurt and offended, and she saw plainly that I was,
and yet did not in the least alter her decision.”

“So,” thought Harry, “Frank has either not made his
offer, or” (and his heart sunk within him at the thought)
“he has made it and been accepted.”

“I feel sure,” said Frank, “I can make her alter her determination.”

“Nonsense,” said Mrs. Lennox; “why, in such an ingenuous
creature as Fanny, look for any other excuse than
the one she assigns? She is not very well, is out of spirits,
and therefore will not come.”

“Well, if you think so,” resumed Mary, “I'll go with
Frank; but I don't understand it.”

“So,” thought Harry, “she avoids me. That of course:
but in a way which must betray the insult I have received.
This I must prevent.”

He therefore wrote the following note, and, after a brief
explanation, intrusted it to Frank:

“Mr. Henry Lennox begs Miss Elton to forgive and forget
the error into which he has fallen, upon his assurance
not to repeat it. He hopes she will not make it the cause
of interrupting her intercourse with the family, rather than
which he will himself withdraw, till time shall test the sincerity
of his resolution never to offend again. If he have
reason to fear his presence prevents her usual visits and
engagements, he will carry into effect a desire he has long
had of spending a few years in Europe. Should she, however,
be disposed to accord this, the only favour he can ever
ask of her, he need scarcely add, he considers himself
bound, as a gentleman, to protect her from the annoyance
of his society, as far as can be done without exciting attention.”

Previous section

Next section