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230 THE ADVENTURES OF PHILIP
Years and years ago, in the poor mother's lifetime, Philip
remembered an outbreak of wrath on his father's part, who called
Uncle Twysden a swindling miser, and this very Mr. Bond a
scoundrel who deserved to be hanged, for interfering in some way
in the management of a part of the property which Mrs. Twysden
and her sister inherited from their own mother. That quarrel had
been made up, as such quarrels are. The brothers-in-law had continued
to mistrust each other ; but there was no reason why the
feud should descend to the children ; and Philip and his aunt, and
one of her daughters at least, were on good terms together. Philip's
uncle's lawyers engaged with his father's debtor and enemy against
Dr. Firmin: the alliance boded no good.
" I won't tell you what I think, Philip," said the father. " You
are fond of your cousin ?"
"Oh! for ev ______ "
" For ever, of course ! At least until we change our mind, or
one of us grows tired, or finds a better mate."
" Ah, sir !" cries Philip, but suddenly stops in his remonstrance.
' What were you going to say, Philip, and why do you pause ?"
" I was going to say, father, if I might without offending, that
I think you judge hardly of women. I know two who have been
very faithful to you."
"And I a traitor to both of them. Yes; and my remorse,
Philip, my remorse !" says his father in his deepest tragedy voice,
clutching his hand over a heart that I believe beat very coolly.
But, psha ! why am I, Philip's biographer, going out of the way to
abuse Philip's papa? Is not the threat of bigamy and exposure
enough to disturb any man's equanimity? I say again, suppose
there is another sword—a rope, if you will so call it—hanging over
the head of our Damocles of Old Parr Street? . . . Howbeit, the
father and the son met and parted in these days with unusual
gentleness and cordiality. And these were the last days in which
they were to meet together. Nor could Philip recall without satisfaction,
afterwards, that the hand which he took was pressed and
given with a real kindness and cordiality.
Why were these the last days son and father were to pass
together? Dr. Firmin is still alive. Philip is a very tolerably
prosperous gentleman. He and his father parted good friends, and
it is the biographer's business to narrate how and wherefore. When
Philip told his father that Messrs. Bond and Selby, his Uncle
Twysden's attorneys, were suddenly interested about Mr. Brandon
and his affairs, the father instantly guessed, though the son was too
simple as yet to understand, how it was that these gentlemen interfered.
If Mr. Brandon-Firmin's marriage with Miss Ringwood was