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206 THE ADVENTURES OF PHILIP
P
CHAPTER XI
IN WHICH PHILIP IS VERY ILL-TEMPERED
HILIP had long divined a part of his dear little friend's
history. An uneducated young girl had been found, cajoled,
deserted by a gentleman of the world. And poor Caroline
was the victim, and Philip's own father the seducer. He easily
guessed as much as this of the sad little story. Dr. Firmin's
part in it was enough to shock his son with a thrill of disgust,
and to increase the mistrust, doubt, alienation, with which the
father had long inspired the son. What would Philip feel, when
all the pages of that dark book were opened to him, and he came
to hear of a false marriage, and a ruined and outcast woman,
deserted for years by the man to whom he himself was most
bound? In a word, Philip had considered this as a mere case
of early libertinism, and no more; and it was as such, in the
very few words which he may have uttered to me respecting this
matter, that he had chosen to regard it. I knew no more than
my friend had told me of the story as yet ; it was only by degrees
that I learned it, and as events, now subsequent, served to develop
and explain it.
The elder Firmin, when questioned by his old acquaintance,
and, as it appeared, accomplice of former days, regarding the end
of a certain intrigue at Margate, which had occurred some four
or five-and-twenty years back, and when Firmin, having reason
to avoid his college creditors, chose to live away and bear a false
name, had told the clergyman a number of falsehoods which appeared
to satisfy him. What had become of that poor little thing
about whom he had made such a fool of himself? Oh, she was
dead, dead ever so many years before. He had pensioned her off.
She had married, and died in Canada—yes, in Canada. Poor little
thing! Yes, she was a good little thing, and, at one time, he
had been very soft about her. I am sorry to have to state of a
respectable gentleman that he told lies, and told lies habitually
and easily. But, you see, if you commit a crime, and break a
seventh commandment let us say, or an eighth, or choose any
number you will—you will probably have to back the lie of action