Patrick was rather at sea. What could she mean?
Mrs. Adister O'Donnell stepped over to them, with the object of installing Colonel Adister in Patrick's place.
The object was possibly perceived. Mrs. Adister was allowed no time to set the manoeuvre in motion.
'Mr. O'Donnell is a great enthusiast for music, and could listen to it all day and all night, he tells me,' said Miss Mattock. 'Would he not sicken of it in a week, Mrs. Adister?'
'But why should I?' cried Patrick. 'It's a gift of heaven.'
'And, like other gifts of heaven, to the idle it would turn to evil.'
'I can't believe it.'
'Work, and you will believe it.'
'But, Miss Mattock, I want to work; I'm empty-handed. It 's true I want to travel and see a bit of the world to help me in my work by and by. I'm ready to try anything I can do, though.'
'Has it ever struck you that you might try to help the poor?'