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‘Here’s Mr。 Maldon begs the favour of a word； sir。’
‘I am but this moment quit of Mr。 Maldon；’ said his master。
‘Yes； sir；’ returned Uriah； ‘but Mr。 Maldon has come back； and
he begs the favour of a word。’ As he held the door open with his
hand； Uriah looked at me； and looked at Agnes； and looked at the
dishes； and looked at the plates； and looked at every object in the
room； I thought；—yet seemed to look at nothing； he made such an
appearance all the while of keeping his red eyes dutifully on his
master。 ‘I beg your pardon。 It’s only to say； on reflection；’ observed
a voice behind Uriah； as Uriah’s head was pushed away； and the
speaker’s substituted—‘pray excuse me for this intrusion—that as
it seems I have no choice in the matter； the sooner I go abroad the
better。 My cousin Annie did say； when we talked of it； that she
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liked to have her friends within reach rather than to have them
banished； and the old Doctor—’
‘Doctor Strong； was that？’ Mr。 Wickfield interposed； gravely。
‘Doctor Strong； of course；’ returned the other； ‘I call him the old
Doctor； it’s all the same； you know。’
‘I don’t know；’ returned Mr。 Wickfield。
‘Well； Doctor Strong；’ said the other—‘Doctor Strong was of the
same mind； I believed。 But as it appears from the course you take
with me he has changed his mind； why there’s no more to be said；
except that the sooner I am off； the better。 Therefore； I thought I’d
come back and say； that the sooner I am off the better。 When a
plunge is to be made into the water； it’s of no use lingering on the
bank。’
‘There shall be as little lingering as possible； in your case； Mr。
Maldon； you may depend upon it；’ said Mr。 Wickfield。
‘Thank’ee；’ said the other。 ‘Much obliged。 I don’t want to look a
gift…horse in the mouth； which is not a gracious thing to do；
otherwise； I dare say； my cousin Annie could easily arrange it in
her own way。 I suppose Annie would only have to say to the old
Doctor—’
‘Meaning that Mrs。 Strong would only have to say to her
husband—do I follow you？’ said Mr。 Wickfield。
‘Quite so；’ returned the other； ‘—would only have to say； that
she wanted such and such a thing to be so and so； and it would be
so and so； as a matter of course。’
‘And why as a matter of course； Mr。 Maldon？’ asked Mr。
Wickfield； sedately eating his dinner。
‘Why； because Annie’s a charming young girl； and the old
Doctor—Doctor Strong； I mean—is not quite a charming young
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boy；’ said Mr。 Jack Maldon； laughing。 ‘No offence to anybody； Mr。
Wickfield。 I only mean that I suppose some compensation is fair
and reasonable in that sort of marriage。’
‘Compensation to the lady； sir？’ asked Mr。 Wickfield gravely。
‘To the lady； sir；’ Mr。 Jack Maldon answered； laughing。 But
appearing to remark that Mr。 Wickfield went on with his dinner in
the same sedate； immovable manner； and that there was no hope
of making him relax a muscle of his face； he added： ‘However； I
have said what I came to say； and； with another apology for this
intrusion； I may take myself off。 Of course I shall observe your
directions； in considering the matter as one to be arranged
between you and me solely； and not to be referred to； up at the
Doctor’s。’
‘Have you dined？’ asked Mr。 Wickfield； with a motion of his
hand towards the table。
‘Thank’ee。 I am going to dine；’ said Mr。 Maldon； ‘with my
cousin Annie。 Good…bye！’
Mr。 Wickfield； without rising； looked after him thoughtfully as
he went out。 He was rather a shallow sort of young gentleman； I
thought； with a handsome face； a rapid utterance； and a confident；
bold air。 And this was the first I ever saw of Mr。 Jack Maldon；
whom I had not expected to see so soon； when I heard the Doctor
speak of him that morning。
When we had dined； we went upstairs again； where everything
went on exactly as on the previous day。 Agnes set the glasses and
decanters in the same corner； and Mr。 Wickfield sat down to drink；
and drank a good deal。 Agnes played the piano to him； sat by him；
and worked and talked； and played some games at dominoes with
me。 In good time she made tea； and afterwards； when I brought
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down my books； looked into them； and showed me what she knew
of them （which was no slight matter； though she said it was）； and
what was the best way to learn and understand them。 I see her；
with her modest； orderly； placid manner； and I hear her beautiful
calm voice； as I write these words。 The influence for all good；
which she came to exercise over me at a later time； begins already
to descend upon my breast。 I love little Em’ly； and I don’t love
Agnes—no； not at all in that way—but I feel that there are
goodness； peace； and truth； wherever Agnes is； and that the soft
light of the coloured window in the church； seen long ago； falls on
her always； and on me when I am near her； and on everything
around。
The time having come for her withdrawal for the night； and she
having left us； I gave Mr。 Wickfield my hand； preparatory to going
away myself。 But he checked me and said： ‘Should you like to stay
with us； Trotwood； or to go elsewhere？’
‘To stay；’ I answered； quickly。
‘You are sure？’
‘If you please。 If I may！’
‘Why； it’s but a dull life that we lead here； boy； I am afraid；’ he
said。
‘Not more dull for me than Agnes； sir。 Not dull at all！’
‘Than Agnes；’ he repeated； walking slowly to the great chimney…
piece； and leaning against it。 ‘Than Agnes！’
He had drank wine that evening （or I fancied it）； until his eyes
were bloodshot。 Not that I could see them now； for they were cast
down； and shaded by his hand； but I had noticed them a little
while before。
‘Now I wonder；’ he muttered； ‘whether my Agnes tires of me。
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When should I ever tire of her！ But that’s different； that’s quite
different。’
He was musing； not speaking to me； so I remained quiet。
‘A dull old house；’ he said； ‘and a monotonous life； but I must
have her near me。 I must keep her near me。 If the thought that I
may die and leave my darling； or that my darling may die and
leave me； comes like a spectre； to distress my happiest hours； and
is only to be drowned in—’
He did not supply the word； but pacing slowly to the place
where he had sat； and mechanically going through the action of
pouring wine from the empty decanter； set it down and paced
back again。
‘If it is miserable to bear； when she is here；’ he said； ‘what
would it be； and she away？ No； no； no。 I cannot try that。’
He leaned against the chimney…piece； brooding so long that I
could not decide whether to run the risk of disturbing him by
going； or to remain quietly where I was； until he should come out
of his reverie。 At length he aroused himself； and looked about the
room until his