"
"And yet I don't know how to interfere," said his mother. "There are
hearts and hearts, you know," she added.
"Ah! Work may sometimes be the least of two evils," and the doctor
said no more.
"So Jock will not come," said Mrs. Evelyn, opening a note declining a
dinner in Cavendish Square.
"His time is very much taken up," said his mother. "It is one of his
class-nights."
"So he says. It is a strange question to ask, but I cannot help it.
Do you think he fully enters into the situation?"
"I say in return, Do you remember my telling you that the two cousins
always avoided rivalry?"
"Then he acts deliberately. Forgive me; I felt that unless I was
certain of this virtual resignation of the unspoken hope, I was not
acting fairly in allowing-—I cannot say encouraging—-what I cannot
help seeing."
"Dear Mrs. Evelyn! you understand that it is no slight to Sydney, but
you know why he held back; and now he sees that his absence has made
room for John, he felt that there was no chance for him, and that the
more he can keep out of the way the better it is for all parties.
Honest John has never had the least notion that he has come between
Jock and his hopes, and it is our great desire that he should not
guess it."
"Well! what can I say? You are generous people, you and your son;
but young folks' hearts will go their own way.
Pages:
786
787
788
789
790
791
792
793
794
795
796
797
798
799
800
801
802
803
804
805
806
807
808
809
810