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ON HIS WAY THROUGH THE WORLD 55$
carriages ever so many? You may work on at your newspapers,
and get a crust, and when you're old, and if you quarrel—and you
have a knack of quarrelling—he has, Mrs. Firmin. I knew him
before you did. Quarrelsome he is, and he will be, though you
think him an angel, to be sure.—Suppose you quarrel with your
newspaper masters, and your reviews, and that, you lose your place.
A gentleman like Mr. Philip oughtn't to have a master. I couldn't
bear to think of your going down of a Saturday to the publishing
office to get your wages like a workman."
" But I am a workman," interposes Philip.
" La! But do you mean to remain one for ever ? I would
rise, if I was a man!" said the intrepid little woman; " I would
rise, or I'd know the reason why. Who knows how many in family
you're going to be ? I'd have more spirit than to live in a second
floor—I would !"
And the Little Sister said this, though she clung round Philip's
child with a rapture of fondness which she tried in vain to conceal ;
though she felt that to part from it would be to part from her
life's chief happiness ; though she loved Philip as her own son : and
Charlotte—well, Charlotte for Philip's sake—as women love other
women.
Charlotte came to her friends in Queen Square, and told us of
the resolute Little Sister's advice and conversation. She knew that
Mrs. Brandon only loved her as something belonging to Philip.
She admired this Little Sister; and trusted her; and could afford
to bear that little somewhat scornful domination which Brandon
exercised. " She does not love me, because Philip does," Charlotte
said. " Do you think I could like her, or any woman, if I thought
Philip loved them ? I could kill them, Laura, that I could !"
And at this sentiment I imagine daggers shooting out of a pair of
eyes that were ordinarily very gentle and bright.
Not having been engaged in the case in which Philip had the
honour of first appearing, I cannot enter into particulars regarding
it, but am sure that case must have been uncommonly strong in
itself which could survive such an advocate. He passed a frightful
night of torture before appearing in committee-room. During that
night, he says, his hair grew grey. His old college friend and
comrade Pinkerton, who was with him in the case, " coached " him
on the day previous ; and indeed it must be owned that the work
which he had to perform was not of a nature to impair the inside
or the outside of his skull. A great man was his leader ; his friend
Pinkerton followed ; and all Mr. Philip's business was to examine
a half-dozen witnesses by questions previously arranged between
them and the agents.