“Nay, nay! don’t look so. God knows, if you had done so, I should have sought no vengeance, young man.”
“Colonel Ashley, I am neither mad nor unprincipled, however I may have been misrepresented to you.”
“I believe it, Mark! I quite believe it. I will not examine you upon the fourth charge! Heaven knows what demonstrations of indignation would meet my question, should I ask you if, poet-wise, you had endeavoured to awaken in Mrs. Ashley’s memory any sentimental reminiscences of the past!”
Mark smiled.
“Yet nevertheless, my dear young friend, it was upon that subject that I wished to speak to you. Mr. and Mrs. Ashley will make this house their permanent home. My son’s wife will be the mistress of the establishment, of course. Will it be pleasant for you to meet them in daily, hourly intercourse? I have seen it written, that ‘friendship sometimes turns to love, but love to friendship never.’ A brimstone sentiment, I admit. Still, I can imagine cases and characters to which it is applicable. For instance, I do not think it possible for you and your cousin ever to be friends.”
Mark was silent.
“You do not speak. Do you perchance imagine that you two could live comfortably under the same roof?”
“Colonel Ashley, I know we could not.”
“That will do; we understand each other. And I leave all the rest to yourself. I will speak with you again to-morrow. In the meantime, do me the favour to let Miss Vivian know that I wish to see her.”