"Gates of brass cannot withstand
One touch of that enchanted wand."
The silence which fell over Gilbert was unbroken for a few minutes by any word on either side. At last Joyce said:
"Is there anything I can do for Melville? He has rather a way of looking down on me, and I think I speak crossly to him sometimes. I wish you would tell me if you think I could help father about him."
"If he does not listen to you I should think it hopeless that he would listen to anyone," Gilbert said; "he has a way of looking down on most people."
"Not on you?" Joyce said, with a little innocent laugh. "He made us think you were very grand and that we must alter all our ways to suit you; poor mother was to change the hours for meals, and——"
"I never heard such nonsense," Gilbert said; "but I know where he got those notions from, and I may tell you this much, that the kindest thing you can do is to ask your father, to consent to his going abroad for a year as soon as may be; he will be out of harm's way. I have had some fears that the person who had such an evil influence over him might follow him here, and I was determined to circumvent him."
"It was very kind of you to take this trouble. Who is the person?"
"He is a step-uncle of mine; my mother's half-brother, Lord Maythorne."
"Quite a grand person, then?" Joyce said.
"Grand in his own eyes; yes, undoubtedly; but there is every hope that, having got what he can out of Melville, he will leave him alone. You do not know how ashamed I am to own him as a relation; and I am anxious to do all I can to atone for the mischief he may have done your brother."