212520_The_Adve ... _Way_Through_The_World.pdf - OUDL Home

ON HIS WAY THROUGH THE WORLD 523
And now, my brethren, see how one crime is the parent of
many, and one act of duplicity leads to a whole career of deceit. In
the first place, you see, Philip had deceived his wife—with a pious
desire, it is true, of screening his father's little peculiarities—but,
ruat cœlum, we must tell no lies. No : and from this day forth I
order John never to say Not at home to the greatest bore, dun,
dawdle of my acquaintance. If Philip's father had not deceived
him, Philip would not have deceived his wife; if he had not
deceived his wife, she would not have given five guineas for that
cloak for the baby. If she had not given five guineas for the
cloak, my wife would never have entered into a secret correspondence
with Mr. Firrnin, which might, but for my own sweetness of
temper, have bred jealousy, mistrust, and the most awful quairels—
nay, duels—between the heads of the two families. Fancy Philip's
body lying stark upon Hampstead Heath with a bullet through it,
despatched by the hand of his friend ! Fancy a cab driving up to
my own house, and from it—under the eyes of the children at the
parlour-windows—their father's bleeding corpse ejected ! ________ Enough
of this dreadful pleasantry ! Two days after the affair of the cloak,
I found a letter in Philip's handwriting addressed to my wife, and
thinking that the note had reference to a matter of dinner then
pending between our families, I broke open the envelope and read
as follows :—
" THORNHAUGH STREET : Thursday.
"MY DEAR KIND GODMAMMA,—As soon as ever I can write
and speak, I will thank you for being so kind to me. My mamma
says she is very jealous, and as she bought my cloak she can't
think of allowing you to pay for it. But she desires me never
to forget your kindness to us, and though I don't know anything
about it now, she promises to tell me when I am old enough.
Meanwhile I am your grateful and affectionate little goddaughter,
" L. C. F."
Philip was persuaded by his friends at home to send out the
request to his New York employers to pay his salary henceforth
to himself; and I remember a dignified letter came from his parent,
in which the matter was spoken of in sorrow rather than in anger ;
in which the Doctor pointed out that this precautionary measure
seemed to imply a doubt on Philip's side of his father's honour ;
and surely, surely, he was unhappy enough and unfortunate
enough already without meriting this mistrust from his son.
The duty of a son to honour his father and mother was feelingly
pointed out, and the Doctor meekly trusted that Philip's children