212520_The_Adve ... _Way_Through_The_World.pdf - OUDL Home

ON HIS WAY THROUGH THE WORLD 531
dreadful apprehension torturing him. One of our children was ill
in the adjoining room, and I have before me the figure of my wife
coming in from time to time to my room and saying, * She is asleep
now, and the fever is much lower.' "
Here our conversation was interrupted by the entrance of a tall
young lady, who says, "Papa, the coffee is quite cold: and the
carriage will be here very soon, and both mamma and my godmother
say they are growing very angry. Do you know you have
been talking here for two hours ?"
Had two hours actually slipped away as we sat prattling about
old times ? As I narrate them, I prefer to give Mr. Firmin's account
of his adventures in his own words, where I can recall or imitate
them. Both of us are graver and more reverend seigniors than we
were at the time of which I am writing. Has not Firmin's girl
grown up to be taller than her godmother ? Veterans both, we love
to prattle about the merry days when we were young—(the merry
days ? no, the past is never merry)—about the days when we were
young ; and do we grow young in talking of them, or only indulge
in a senile cheerfulness and prolixity ?
Tregarvan sleeps with his Cornish fathers : Europe for many
years has gone on without her Review : but it is a certainty that
the establishment of that occult organ of opinion tended very much
to benefit Philip Firmin, and helped for a while to supply him and
several innocent people dependent on him with their daily bread.
Of course, as they were so poor, this worthy family increased and
multiplied ; and as they increased, and as they multiplied, my wife
insists that I should point out how support was found for them.
When there was a second child in Philip's nursery, he would have
removed from his lodgings in Thornhaugh Street, but for the prayers
and commands of the affectionate Little Sister, who insisted that
there was plenty of room in the house for everybody, and who said
that if Philip went away she would cut off her little godchild with
a shilling. And then indeed it was discovered for the first time,
that this faithful and affectionate creature had endowed Philip with
all her little property. These are the rays of sunshine in the
dungeon. These are the drops of water in the desert. And with
a full heart our friend acknowledges how comfort came to him in
his hour of need.
Though Mr. Firmin has a very grateful heart, it has been
admitted that he was a loud disagreeable Firmin at times, impetuous
in his talk, and violent in his behaviour : and we are
now come to that period of his history, when he had a quarrel
in which I am sorry to say Mr. Philip was in the wrong. Why
do we consort with those whom we dislike ? Why is it that men