u money. That you are sure of; that you know. Very well. But you are
one to want more than money: you want his love. Richard, I am convinced
you will never be happy, whatever base pleasures you may be led into, if
he should withhold his love from you. Now, child, you know you have
grievously offended him. I wish not to animadvert on your conduct.--You
fancied yourself in love, and so on, and you were rash. The less said of
it the better now. But you must now--it is your duty now to do
something--to do everything that lies in your power to show him you
repent. No interruptions! Listen to me. You must consider him. Austin is
not like other men. Austin requires the most delicate management. You
must--whether you feel it or no--present an appearance of contrition. I
counsel it for the good of all. He is just like a woman, and where his
feelings are offended he wants utter subservience. He has you in town,
and he does not see you:--now you know that he and I are not in
communication: we have likewise our differences:--Well, he has you in
town, and he holds aloof:--he is trying you, my dear Richard. No: he is
not at Raynham: I do not know where he is. He is trying you, child, and
you must be patient. You must convince him that you do not care utterly
for your own gratification. If this person--I wish to speak of her with
respect, for your sake--well, if she loves you at all--if, I say, she
loves you one atom, she will repeat my solicitations for you to stay and
patiently wait here till he consents to see you. I tell you candidly,
it's your only chance of ever getting him to receive her. That you should
know. And now, Richard, I may add that there is something else you should
know. You should know that it depends entirely upon your conduct now,
whether you are to see your father's heart for ever divided from you, and
a new family at Raynham. You do not understand? I will explain. Brothers
and sisters are excellent things for young people, but a new brood of
them can hardly be acceptable to a young man. In fact, they are, and must
be, aliens. I only tell you what I have heard on good authority. Don't
you understand now? Foolish boy! if you do not humour him, he will marry
her. Oh! I am sure of it. I know it. And this you will drive him to. I do
not warn you on the score of your prospects, but of your feelings. I
should regard such a contingency, Richard, as a final division between
you. Think of the scandal! but alas, that is the