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202 THE ADVENTURES OF PHILIP
sick-beds with his sweet sad smile, fondled and blessed by tender
mothers who hail him as the saviour of their children, touching
ladies' pulses with a hand as delicate as their own, patting little
fresh cheeks with courtly kindness—little cheeks that owe their
roses to his marvellous skill ; after he has soothed and comforted
my Lady, shaken hands with my Lord, looked in at the club, and
exchanged courtly salutations with brother bigwigs, and driven
away in the handsome carriage with the noble horses—admired,
respecting, respectful, saluted, saluting—so that every man says,
"Excellent man, Firmin. Excellent doctor, excellent man. Safe
man. Sound man. Man of good family. Married a rich wife.
Lucky man." And so on. After the day's triumphant career, I
fancy I see the Doctor driving homeward, with those sad sad eyes,
that haggard smile.
He comes whirling up Old Parr Street just as Phil saunters in
from Regent Street, as usual, cigar in mouth. He flings away the
cigar as he sees his father, and they enter the house together.
" Do you dine at home, Philip ?" the father asks.
" Do you, sir ? I will if you do," says the son, " and if you
are alone."
"Alone. Yes. That is, there'll be Hunt, I suppose, whom
you don't like. But the poor fellow has few places to dine at.
What? D _______ Hunt? That's a strong expression about a poor
fellow in misfortune, and your father's old friend."
I am afraid Philip had used that wicked monosyllable whilst
his father was speaking, and at the mention of the clergyman's
detested name. "I beg your pardon, father. It slipped out in
spite of me. I can't help it. I hate the fellow."
"You don't disguise your likes or dislikes, Philip," says, or
rather groans, the safe man, the sound man, the prosperous man,
the lucky man, the miserable man. For years and years he has
known that his boy's heart has revolted from him, and detected
him, and gone from him ; and with shame and remorse, and sickening
feeling, he lies awake in the night-watches, and thinks how he is
alone—alone in the world. Ah ! Love your parents, young ones !
O Father Beneficent ! strengthen our hearts : strengthen and purify
them so that we may not have to blush before our children !
" You don't disguise your likes and dislikes, Philip," says the
father then, with a tone that smites strangely and keenly on the
young man.
There is a great tremor in Philip's voice, as he says, "No,
father, I can't bear that man, and I can't disguise my feelings. I
have just parted from the man. I have just met him."
"Where?"