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Longing to know more of Elsley, if possible, to guide and help him, he tried to be intimate with him, as he had tried at Aberalva; paid him court, asked his opinion, talked to him on all subjects which he thought would interest him. His conclusion was more favourable to Elsley's head than to his heart.
All that one can picture for oneself branded into the countenance of a man unable to repress the least emotion, who had worked himself into the belief that Thurnall had betrayed his secret. "My dear Mr. Elsley, who thought him the most consummate of hypocrites, cast on him a look which he intended to have been withering, and rushed out of the room, leaving the two staring at each other.
"Really," said Elsley, wincing, "I never met him there." He recollected that Lucia had expressed more pleasure at Major Campbell's coming than even, at that of her brother; and a dark, undefined phantom entered his heart, which, though he would have been too proud to confess it to himself, was none other than jealousy. "Oh did you not? No; it was the year before we first knew you.
"Call me John Briggs, and let us have done with shams for ever." "No; you are my Elsley my Vavasour! and I am your wife once more!" and the poor thing fondled his head as it lay upon the pillow. "My own Elsley, to whom I gave myself, body and soul; for whom I would die now, oh, such a death! any death!" "How could I doubt you? fool that I was!" "No, it was all my fault.
And Tom hurried into his rooms, and found Elsley still sleeping. He set to work, packing and arranging, for with him every moment found its business: and presently heard his patient call faintly from the next room. "Thurnall!" said he; "I have been a long journey. I have been to Whitbury once more, and followed my father about his garden, and sat upon my mother's knee.
Oh, cruel, cowardly, not to have said one word not one word to explain all but it was all my fault, my wicked, odious temper; and after I had seen how vexed he was, too! Oh, Elsley, Elsley, come back, only come back, and I will beg your pardon on my knees! anything? Scold me, beat me, if you will! I deserve it all!
"Miserable ass!" thought Tom, "if he don't see innocence in that man's countenance, he wouldn't see it in his own child's." Elsley suddenly turned his back to them, and thrust his hand into his bosom. Now was Tom's turn. In a moment he had vaulted over the table, and seized Elsley's wrist, ere he could draw the second pistol. "No, my dear Jack," whispered he quietly, "once is enough in a day!"
And he bowed himself out, the same sturdy, self-confident Tom, doing right, he hardly knew why, save that it was all in the way of business. And now arose the puzzle, what to do with Elsley? He had set his heart on going down to Whitbury the next day.
"Oh, my poor sister!" and wildly she poured out to Frank her wrath against Elsley, her inability to comfort Lucia, and all the misery and confusion of the past night.
Elsley was willing enough at heart, but hesitated; he knew not, at the moment, poor fellow, where to find the money. His wife knew that she could borrow of Valencia; but she, too, was against the place. The cholera would be in the air for miles round.