,
passing from the light of the busy streets into the comparative darkness
of those in which people live, without in the least remarking where he
was going, except in his thoughts. He had not the least intention of
accepting the invitation of Lady Mariamne, nor did his mind dwell upon
her or the change that age had wrought in her. But yet the Compton
family had gained an interest in John's eyes which it did not possess
even at the time when Elinor's marriage first brought its name into his
thoughts. Philip--young Philip--the boy, as John called him in his own
mind, in fond identification--was as near John's own child as anything
ever could be in this world. He had many nephews and nieces belonging to
him by a more authentic title, but none of these was in the least like
Philip, whom none of all the kindred knew but himself, and who, so
far as he was aware, had but one kinsman in the world, who was Uncle
John. He had followed the development of the boy's mind always with a
reference to those facts of which Philip knew nothing, which would be
so wonderful to him when the revelation came. To John that little world
at Lakeside--where the ladies had made an artificial existence for
themselves, which was at the same time so natural, so sweet, so full
of all the humanities and charities--was something like what we might
suppose this erring world to be to some archangel great enough to see
how everything is, not great enough to give the impulse that would put
it right. If the great celestial intelligences are allowed to know and
mark out perverse human ways, how much impatience with us must mingle
with their tenderness and pity! John Tatham had little perhaps that was
heavenly about him, but he loved Elinor and her son, and was absolutely
free of selfishness in respect to them. Never, he was aware, could
either woman or child be more to him than they were now. Nay, they were
everything to him, but on their own account, not his; he desired their
welfare absolutely, and not his own through them. Elinor was capable at
any moment of turning upon him, of saying, if not in words, yet in
undeniable inference, what is it to you? and the boy, though he gladly
referred to Uncle John when Uncle John was in the way, took him with
perfect composure as a being apart from his life. They were everything
to him, but he was nothing to them. His whole heart was set upon their
peace, upon their comfort and well-being, but as much apart from himself