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Updated: May 15, 2025
"I wouldn't go and not show my face because of other people's roguery," rejoined Stemm, with cruel audacity. Sir Thomas looked at him, but did not answer a word, and Stemm fetched the food. "Stemm," said Sir Thomas the same evening, "it's getting to be fine weather now." "It's fine enough," said Stemm. "Do you take your nieces down to Southend for an outing.
"He's a fool for his pains; that's all," said Stemm, as he poked the letter into the box. During the whole of the next day the matter troubled Sir Thomas. What if Ralph should go at once to the breeches-maker's daughter, the thought of whom made Sir Thomas very sick, and commit himself before an answer should be received from Mr. Newton?
Stemm had never been favourable to the cause of young Newton, and had considered from the first that Sir Thomas should have declined the trust that had been imposed upon him. What good was to be expected from such a guardianship? And as things had gone on, proving Stemm's prophecies as to young Newton's career to be true, that trusty clerk had not failed to remind his master of his own misgivings.
He was sitting alone in his room in this condition, with a book in his hand of no value to his great purpose, hating himself and wretched, when Stemm opened his door, ushering Patience and Mary Bonner into his room. "Ah, my dears," he said, "what has brought you up to London? I did not think of seeing you here."
Stemm growled and grumbled, and at last left the room with the money. The morning afterwards Sir Thomas was sitting alone in his room absolutely wretched. He had so managed his life that there seemed to be nothing left to him in it worth the having.
"If you'd have said before that they'd be wanted, Sir Thomas, there wouldn't be such a deal of dry muck," said Stemm, as he put down the box on a chair opposite Sir Thomas's knees. "And now where is the key?" said Sir Thomas. Stemm shook his head very slowly. "You know, Stemm; where is it?" "How am I to know, Sir Thomas? I don't know, Sir Thomas. It's like enough in one of those drawers."
And yet he had taken upon himself the absolute management of all Ralph Newton's affairs! Ralph was very unhappy, and in his misery he went to Sir Thomas's chambers. This was about four o'clock in the day, at which hour Sir Thomas was almost always in his rooms. But Stemm with much difficulty succeeded in making him believe that the lawyer was not at home.
He did love his daughters; but even with them he was not at his ease. The only society he could enjoy was that of his books or of his own thoughts, and the only human being whom he could endure to have long near him with equanimity was Joseph Stemm. He had risen at nine, as was his custom, and before ten he was bustling about with his hat and gloves.
Joram down, to make a fight of it," said Mr. Stemm; "but, as far as I can learn, they might just as well have remained up in town. It's only sending good money after bad." The young parson hardly expressed that interest in the matter which Stemm had expected, but turned away, thinking whether he had not better have his hair cut at once, and then go home.
Stemm at this time was much disturbed by his master's terrible resolution to try the world again, to stand for a seat in Parliament, and to put himself once more in the way of work and possible promotion. Stemm had condemned the project, but, nevertheless, took glory in it. What if his master should become, should become anything great and magnificent.
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