“Happy!” he exclaimed, “happy? Are you really happy?”
“Comparatively, yes,” I answered. “I am as close to happiness as any one I know.”
“Then you are indeed to be congratulated,” said Clay. “I will see what can be done towards making you more so, for I like you. You have always amused me, and sometimes instructed me, and you have been useful to me once at least.”
This closed the argument, and he left me with smiles, promises and compliments; he was a genial soul for a mere business man with one idea.
I was sorry in many ways to refuse Clay’s offer, but I had four young Wesblocks to be thought of who were no longer children. I believed that it would have been very unwise to transplant them when they had so benefited by the Ottawa soil. The social and mental atmosphere of Ottawa is a very different thing from that of modern Montreal, who, as she grows in size and wealth becomes contaminated with all the social diseases of the great American cities.
CHAPTER XXII
Time passed, and I had nearly forgotten Clay and his promises, when one day a messenger came to me to inform me that my presence was desired in the Minister’s office. Although this was an unusual occurrence, I was not much surprised. I had been called by ministers before for causes of the slightest. A minister is a little tin god who calls whom he likes, when he likes. Even men of Great Business hasten to appear when he says “Come.” I was not prepared, therefore, for any new move, nor did I expect to be reprimanded by such a mighty personage. I thought I might be asked to answer some simple questions or be instructed to attend to some petty office such as replacing some favoured one who had been given leave of absence. Ministers condescend to interest themselves in small things sometimes. Judge, then, of my astonishment on entering the minister’s office, when he received me in his very smoothest manner. I was positively frightened.
“Ah! good morning, Mr. Wesblock,” he said, rising and offering me his plump but firm hand. “Sit down.”
I sat. My face, no doubt, showed my astonishment, for he laughed softly.
“Mr. Wesblock,” said my Minister, still smiling, “we have met before, I think, eh?”