keep a coat on his back with such an
income as that. You must make up your mind to wait,--probably for
some years. As I told you before, if a man chooses to have the glory
of independence he must also bear the inconvenience. Now, my dear,
let there be an end of this, and never say again that I want to turn
you out of my house."

CHAPTER XXXV.

TOM TRINGLE SENDS A CHALLENGE.

The next six weeks went on tranquilly at Merle Park without a word
spoken about Hamel. Sir Thomas, who was in the country as little as
possible, showed his scorn to his son-in-law simply by the paucity
of his words, speaking to him, when he did speak to him, with
a deliberate courtesy which Mr. Traffick perfectly understood.
It was that dangerous serenity which so often presages a storm.
"There is something going to be up with your father," he said to
Augusta. Augusta replied that she had never seen her father so civil
before. "It would be a great convenience," continued the Member of
Parliament, "if he could be made to hold his tongue till Parliament
meets; but I'm afraid that's too good to expect." In other respects
things were comfortable at Merle Park, though they were not always
comfortable up in London. Tom, as the reader knows, was misbehaving
himself sadly at the Mountaineers. This was the period of unlimited
champagne, and of almost total absence from Lombard Street. It was
seldom that Sir Thomas could get hold of his son, and when he did
that broken-hearted youth would reply to his expostulations simply
by asserting that if his father would induce Ayala to marry him
everything should go straight in Lombard Street. Then came the final
blow. Tom was of course expected at Merle Park on Christmas Eve,
but did not make his appearance either then or on Christmas Day.
Christmas fell on a Wednesday, and it was intended that the family
should remain in the country till the following Monday. On the
Thursday Sir Thomas went up to town to make inquiries respecting his
heir, as to whom Lady Tringle had then become absolutely unhappy. In
London he heard the disastrous truth. Tom, in his sportive mood, had
caused serious inconvenience to a most respectable policeman, and
was destined to remain another week in the hands of the Philistines.
Then, for a time, all the other Tringle troubles were buried and
forgotten in this great trouble respecting Tom. Lady Tringle was
unable to leave her room during the period of incarceration. Mr.
Traffick p