‘And who is to be at the cost of this?’ pursued Sir Bevil. ‘Have you a subscription list?’
Robert coloured again as he answered, ‘Why, no; we can do without that so far.’
Phœbe understood, and her face must have revealed the truth to Sir Bevil, for laying his hand on Robert’s arm, he said, ‘My good fellow, you don’t mean that you are answerable for all this?’
‘You know I have something of my own.’
‘You will not leave much of it at this rate. How about the endowment?’
‘I shall live upon the endowment.’
‘Have you considered? You will be tied to this place for ever.’
‘That is one of my objects,’ replied Robert, and in reply to a look of astonished interrogation, ‘myself and all that is mine would be far too little to atone for a fraction of the evil that our house is every day perpetrating here.’
‘I should hate the business myself,’ said the baronet; ‘but don’t you see it in a strong light?’
‘Every hour I spend here shows me that I do not see it strongly enough.’