He expressed a certain dread of his next meeting with Mart
Tinman.
Herbert speedily brought Mary Fellingham to Elba, and left her there. The
situation was apparently unaltered. Van Diemen looked worn, like a man
who has been feeding mainly on his reflections, which was manifest in his
few melancholy bits of speech. He said to Herbert: "How you feel a thing
when you are found out!" and, "It doesn't do for a man with a heart to do
wrong!" He designated the two principal roads by which poor sinners come
to a conscience. His own would have slumbered but for discovery; and, as
he remarked, if it had not been for his heart leading him to Tinman, he
would not have fallen into that man's power.
The arrival of a young lady of fashionable appearance at Elba was matter
of cogitation to Mrs. Cavely. She was disposed to suspect that it meant
something, and Van Diemen's behaviour to her brother would of itself have
fortified any suspicion. He did not call at the house on the beach, he
did not invite Martin to dinner, he was rarely seen, and when he appeared
at the Town Council he once or twice violently opposed his friend Martin,
who came home ruffled, deeply offended in his interests and his dignity.
Pages:
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509