o Louisa
than he can give up his own life. It is going on a false idea
altogether; but falsehood in anything except in argument could never
be named or dreamed of in connection with Gerald," said his brother,
with some emotion; "we all know that."

There was another pause of a few minutes, during which they walked on
side by side without even the heart to look at each other. "If it had
been Huxtable or Plumstead, or any other fool," burst forth the
Squire, after that interval, "but Gerald!" Huxtable was the husband of
the eldest Miss Wentworth, and Plumstead was the Squire's sister's
son, so the comparison was all in the family. "I suppose your aunt
Leonora would say such a thing was sent to bring down my pride and
keep me low," said Mr Wentworth, bitterly. "Jack being what he is,
was it anything but natural that I should be proud of Gerald? There
never was any evil in him, that I could see, from a child; but
crotchety, always crotchety, Frank. I can see it now. It must have
been their mother," said the Squire, meditatively; "she died very
young, poor girl! her character was not formed. As for _your_ dear
mother, my boy, she was always equal to an emergency; she would have
given us the best of advice, had she been spared to us this day. Mrs
Wentworth is absorbed in her nursery, as is natural, and I should not
care to consult her much on such a subject. But, Frank, whatever you
can do or say, trust to me to back you out," said the anxious father
of three families. "Your mother was the most sensible woman I ever
knew," he continued, with a patriarchal composure. "Nobody could ever
manage Jack and Gerald as she did. She'd have seen at a glance what to
do now. As for Jack, he is not assistance to anybody; but I consider
you very like your mother, Frank. If anybody can help Gerald, it will
be you. He has got into some ridiculous complications, you know--that
must be the explanation of it. You have only to talk to him, and clear
up the whole affair," said the Squire, recovering himself a little. He
believed in "talking to," like Louisa, and like most people who are
utterly incapable of talking to any purpose. He took some courage from
the thought, and recovered his colour a little. "There is the bell for
luncheon, and I am very glad of it," he said; "a glass of sherry will
set me all right. Don't say anything to alarm Mrs Wentworth. When
Gerald comes we'll retire to the library, and go into the matter
calmly, and between us