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thought　of　Mrs。　Moreen；　desperate　for　sixty　francs。



〃I　shall　become　an　homme　fait。〃　　And　then　as　if　he　recognised　all

the　bearings　of　Pemberton's　allusion：　　〃I　shall　get　on　with　them

better　when　you're　not　here。〃



〃Ah　don't　say　that　…　it　sounds　as　if　I　set　you　against　them！〃



〃You　do　…　the　sight　of　you。　　It's　all　right；　you　know　what　I　mean。

I　shall　be　beautiful。　　I'll　take　their　affairs　in　hand；　I'll　marry

my　sisters。〃



〃You'll　marry　yourself！〃　joked　Pemberton；　as　high；　rather　tense

pleasantry　would　evidently　be　the　right；　or　the　safest；　tone　for

their　separation。



It　was；　however；　not　purely　in　this　strain　that　Morgan　suddenly

asked：　　〃But　I　say　…　how　will　you　get　to　your　jolly　job？　　You'll

have　to　telegraph　to　the　opulent　youth　for　money　to　come　on。〃



Pemberton　bethought　himself。　　〃They　won't　like　that；　will　they？〃



〃Oh　look　out　for　them！〃



Then　Pemberton　brought　out　his　remedy。　　〃I'll　go　to　the　American

Consul；　I'll　borrow　some　money　of　him　…　just　for　the　few　days；　on

the　strength　of　the　telegram。〃



Morgan　was　hilarious。　　〃Show　him　the　telegram　…　then　collar　the

money　and　stay！〃



Pemberton　entered　into　the　joke　sufficiently　to　reply　that　for

Morgan　he　was　really　capable　of　that；　but　the　boy；　growing　more

serious；　and　to　prove　he　hadn't　meant　what　he　said；　not　only

hurried　him　off　to　the　Consulate　…　since　he　was　to　start　that

evening；　as　he　had　wired　to　his　friend　…　but　made　sure　of　their

affair　by　going　with　him。　　They　splashed　through　the　tortuous

perforations　and　over　the　humpbacked　bridges；　and　they　passed

through　the　Piazza；　where　they　saw　Mr。　Moreen　and　Ulick　go　into　a

jeweller's　shop。　　The　Consul　proved　accommodating　…　Pemberton　said

it　wasn't　the　letter；　but　Morgan's　grand　air　…　and　on　their　way

back　they　went　into　Saint　Mark's　for　a　hushed　ten　minutes。　　Later

they　took　up　and　kept　up　the　fun　of　it　to　the　very　end；　and　it

seemed　to　Pemberton　a　part　of　that　fun　that　Mrs。　Moreen；　who　was

very　angry　when　he　had　announced　her　his　intention；　should　charge

him；　grotesquely　and　vulgarly　and　in　reference　to　the　loan　she　had

vainly　endeavoured　to　effect；　with　bolting　lest　they　should　〃get

something　out〃　of　him。　　On　the　other　hand　he　had　to　do　Mr。　Moreen

and　Ulick　the　justice　to　recognise　that　when　on　coming　in　they

heard　the　cruel　news　they　took　it　like　perfect　men　of　the　world。







CHAPTER　VIIII







When　he　got　at　work　with　the　opulent　youth；　who　was　to　be　taken　in

hand　for　Balliol；　he　found　himself　unable　to　say　if　this　aspirant

had　really　such　poor　parts　or　if　the　appearance　were　only　begotten

of　his　own　long　association　with　an　intensely　living　little　mind。

From　Morgan　he　heard　half　a　dozen　times：　　the　boy　wrote　charming

young　letters；　a　patchwork　of　tongues；　with　indulgent　postscripts

in　the　family　Volapuk　and；　in　little　squares　and　rounds　and

crannies　of　the　text；　the　drollest　illustrations　…　letters　that　he

was　divided　between　the　impulse　to　show　his　present　charge　as　a

vain；　a　wasted　incentive；　and　the　sense　of　something　in　them　that

publicity　would　profane。　　The　opulent　youth　went　up　in　due　course

and　failed　to　pass；　but　it　seemed　to　add　to　the　presumption　that

brilliancy　was　not　expected　of　him　all　at　once　that　his　parents；

condoning　the　lapse；　which　they　good…naturedly　treated　as　little　as

possible　as　if　it　were　Pemberton's；　should　have　sounded　the　rally

again；　begged　the　young　coach　to　renew　the　siege。



The　young　coach　was　now　in　a　position　to　lend　Mrs。　Moreen　three

louis；　and　he　sent　her　a　post…office　order　even　for　a　larger

amount。　　In　return　for　this　favour　he　received　a　frantic　scribbled

line　from　her：　　〃Implore　you　to　come　back　instantly　…　Morgan　dread

fully　ill。〃　　They　were　on　there　rebound；　once　more　in　Paris　…　often

as　Pemberton　had　seen　them　depressed　he　had　never　seen　them　crushed

…　and　communication　was　therefore　rapid。　　He　wrote　to　the　boy　to

ascertain　the　state　of　his　health；　but　awaited　the　answer　in　vain。

He　accordingly；　after　three　days；　took　an　abrupt　leave　of　the

opulent　youth　and；　crossing　the　Channel；　alighted　at　the　small

hotel；　in　the　quarter　of　the　Champs　Elysees；　of　which　Mrs。　Moreen

had　given　him　the　address。　　A　deep　if　dumb　dissatisfaction　with

this　lady　and　her　companions　bore　him　company：　　they　couldn't　be

vulgarly　honest；　but　they　could　live　at　hotels；　in　velvety

entresols；　amid　a　smell　of　burnt　pastilles；　surrounded　by　the　most

expensive　city　in　Europe。　　When　he　had　left　them　in　Venice　it　was

with　an　irrepressible　suspicion　that　something　was　going　to　happen；

but　the　only　thing　that　could　have　taken　place　was　again　their

masterly　retreat。　　〃How　is　he？　where　is　he？〃　he　asked　of　Mrs。

Moreen；　but　before　she　could　speak　these　questions　were　answered　by

the　pressure　round　hid　neck　of　a　pair　of　arms；　in　shrunken　sleeves；

which　still　were　perfectly　capable　of　an　effusive　young　foreign

squeeze。



〃Dreadfully　ill　…　I　don't　see　it！〃　the　young　man　cried。　　And　then

to　Morgan：　　〃Why　on　earth　didn't　you　relieve　me？　　Why　didn't　you

answer　my　letter？〃



Mrs。　Moreen　declared　that　when　she　wrote　he　was　very　bad；　and

Pemberton　learned　at　the　same　time　from　the　boy　that　he　had

answered　every　letter　he　had　received。　　This　led　to　the　clear

inference　that　Pemberton's　note　had　been　kept　from　him　so　that　the

game　practised　should　not　be　interfered　with。　　Mrs。　Moreen　was

prepared　to　see　the　fact　exposed；　as　Pemberton　saw　the　moment　he

faced　her　that　she　was　prepared　for　a　good　many　other　things。　　She

was　prepared　above　all　to　maintain　that　she　had　acted　from　a　sense

of　duty；　that　she　was　enchanted　she　had　got　him　over；　whatever　they

might　say；　and　that　it　was　useless　of　him　to　pretend　he　didn't　know

in　all　his　bones　that　his　place　at　such　a　time　was　with　Morgan。　　He

had　taken　the　boy　away　from　them　and　now　had　no　right　to　abandon

him。　　He　had　created　for　himself　the　gravest　responsibilities　and

must　at　least　abide　by　what　he　had　done。



〃Taken　him　away　from　you？〃　Pemberton　exclaimed　indignantly。



〃Do　it　…　do　it　for　pity's　sake；　that's　just　what　I　want。　　I　can't

stand　THIS　…　and　such　scenes。　　They're　awful　frauds　…　poor　dears！〃

These　words　broke　from　Morgan；　who　had　intermitted　his　embrace；　in

a　key　which　made　Pemberton　turn　quickly　to　him　and　see　that　he　had

suddenly　seated　himself；　was　breathing　in　great　pain；　and　was　very

pale。



〃NOW　do　you　say　he's　not　in　a　state；　my　precious　pet？〃　shouted　his

mother；　dropping　on　her　knees　before　him　with　clasped　hands；　but

touching　him　no　more　than　if　he　had　been　a　gilded　idol。　　〃It　will

pass　…　it's　only　for　an　instant；　but　don't　say　such　dreadful

things！〃



〃I'm　all　right　…　all　right；〃　Morgan　panted　to　Pemberton；　whom　he

sat　looking　up　at　with　a　strange　smile；　his　hands　resting　on　either

side　of　the　sofa。



〃Now　do　you　pretend　I've　been　dishonest；　that　I've　deceived？〃　Mrs。

Moreen　flashed　at　Pemberton　as　she　got　up。



〃It　isn't　HE　says　it；　it's　I！〃　the　boy　returned；　apparently　easier；

but　sinking　back　against　the　wall；　while　his　restored　friend；　who

had　sat　down　beside　him；　took　his　hand　and　bent　over　him。



〃Darling　child；　one　does　what　one　can；　there　are　so　many　things　to

consider；〃　urged　Mrs。　Moreen。　　〃It's　his　PLACE　…　his　only　place。

You　see　YOU　think　it　is　now。〃



〃Take　me　away　…　take　me　away；〃　Morgan　went　on；　smiling　to　Pemberton

with　his　white　face。



〃Where　shall　I　take　you；　and　how　…　oh　HOW；　my　boy？〃　the　young　man

stammered；　thinking　of　the　rude　way　in　which　his　friends　in　London

held　that；　for　his　convenience；　with　no　assurance　of　prompt　return；

he　had　thrown　them　over；　of　the　just　resentment　with　which　they

would　already　have　called　in　a　successor；　and　of　the　scant　help　to

finding　fresh　employment　that　resided　for　him　in　the　grossness　of

his　having　failed　to　pass　his　pupil。



〃Oh　we'll　settle　that。　　You　used　to　talk　about　it；〃　said　Morgan。

〃If　we　can　only　go　all　the　rest's　a　detail。〃



〃Talk　about　it　as　much　as　you　like；　but　don't　think　you　can　attempt

it。　　Mr。　Moreen　would　never　consent　…　it　would　be　so　VERY　hand…to…

mouth；〃　Pemberton's　hostess　beautifully　explained　to　him。　　Then　to

Morgan　she　made　it　clearer：　　〃It　would　destroy　our　peace；　it　would

break　our　hearts。　　Now　that　he's　back　it　will　be　all　the　same

again。　　You'll　have　your　life；　your　work　and　your　freedom；　and

we'll　all　be　happy　as　we　used　to　be。　　You'll　bloom　and　grow

perfectly　well；　and　we　won't　have　any　more　silly　experiments；　will

we？　　They're　too　absurd。　　It's　Mr。　Pemberton's　place　…　every　one　in

his　place。　　You　in　yours；　your　papa　in　his；　me　in　mine　…　n'est…ce

pas；　cheri？　　We'll　all　forget　how　foolish　we've　been　and　have

lovely　times。〃



She　continued　to　talk　and　to　surge　vaguely　about　the　little　draped

stuffy　salon　while　Pemberton　sat　with　the　boy；　whose　colour

gradually　came　back；　and　she　mixed　up　her　reasons；　hinting　that

there　were　going　to　be　changes；　that　the　other　children　might

scatter　（who　knew？　…　Paula　had　her　ideas）　and　that　then　it　might　be

fancied　how　much　the　poor　old　parent…birds　would　want　the　little

nestling。　　Morgan　looked　at　Pemberton；　who　wouldn't　let　him　move；

and　Pemberton　knew　exactly　how　he　felt　at　hearing　himself　called　a

little　nestling。　　He　admitted　that　he　had　had　one　or　two　bad　days；

but　he　protested　afresh　against　the　wrong　of　his　mother's　having

made　them　the　ground　of　an　appeal　to　poor　Pemberton。　　Poor

Pemberton　could　laugh　now；　apart　from　the　comicality　of　Mrs。

Moreen's　mustering　so　much　philosophy　for　her　defence　…　she　seemed

to　shake　it　out　of　her　agitated　petticoats；　which　knocked　over　the

light　gilt　chairs　…　so　little　did　their　young　companion；　MARKED；

unmistakeably　marked　at　the　best；　strike　him　as　qualified　to

repudiate　any　advantage。



He　himself　was　in　for　it　at　any　rate。　　He　should　have　Morgan　on　his

hands　again　indefinitely；　though　indeed　he　saw　the　lad　had　a

private　theory　to　produce　which　would　be　intended　to　smooth　this

down。　　He　was　obliged　to　him　for　it　in　advance；　but　the　suggested

amendment　didn't　keep　his　heart　rather　from　sinking；　any　more　than

it　prevented　him　from　accepting　the　prospect　on　the　spot；　with　some

confidence　moreover　that　he　should　do　so　even　better　if　he　could

have　a　little　supper。　　Mrs。　Moreen　threw　out　more　hints　about　the

changes　that　were　to　be　looked　for；　but　she　was　such　a　mixture　of

smiles　and　shudders　…　she　confessed　she　was　very　nervous　…　that　he

couldn't　tell　if　she　were　in　high　feather　or　only　in　hysterics。　　If

the　family　was　really　at　last　going　to　pieces　why　shouldn't　she

recognise　the　necessity　of　pitching　Morgan　into　some　sort　of

lifeboat？　　This　presumption　was　fostered　by　the　fact　that　they　were

established　in　luxurious　quarters　in　the　capital　of　pleasure；　that

was　exactly　where　they　naturally　WOULD　be　established　in　view　of

going　to　pieces。　　Moreover　didn't　she　mention　that　Mr。　Moreen　and

the　others　were　enjoying　themselves　at