To every argument of the kind-hearted Mr. Kippilaw, who really loved the Fettercairn family and esteemed the high-spirited Lennard, the latter turned a deaf ear.
He departed in despair of softening matters between the rash son and indignant parents. To them he greatly modified the nature of the useless interview, but they heard of Lennard's determination with perfect unconcern, and even with a grim smile of contempt, never doubting that when money pressure came upon him they would find him at their mercy. But that time never came.
Mr. Kippilaw returned to Edinburgh, and there the affair seemed to end.
The parting words of Lord Fettercairn to him were said smilingly and loftily:—
'The French have a little phrase, which in six words expresses all our experiences in life.'
'And this phrase, my lord?'
'Is simply—tout passe, tout casse, tout lasse—that we outlive everything in turn and in time—and so this matter of Lennard's pride will be a matter of time only. Be assured we shall outlive the indignation of our misguided son.'
'But will you outlive your own?'
'Never!'
'I can but hope that you will, my lord. Remember the hackneyed quotation from Pope—"To err is human, to forgive divine."