‘That means, that it does not tempt you, but the reverse; is it not so?’
‘No; it does tempt me very much. But there are private reasons—reasons which I can’t quite explain to you, which I am afraid will prevent it.’
‘If you say that, I suppose I must not press you. But I am very sorry, if you think you cannot do as I wish. There are several reasons why I wished it very much, apart from the one that you are far better suited to the post than any one else I could possibly find. One is, that if you had accepted, there would have been no further settlements required, since I know you so well;—no question of references, or recommendations from other persons.’
‘Yes, I understand that.’
‘But, if you do not come to me, but take another situation, you will have to refer to your former employer, who, in name at any rate, has been Mr. Askam.’
‘Well, and what can Mr. Askam say of me that is not creditable?’
‘Nothing—with truth. But you are aware that he is unscrupulous and extremely vindictive.’
‘But there is such a thing as an action for defamation of character, if people tell lies about you. I have not the slightest fear of any such thing. He may dislike me, but he is not quite mad, and he simply dare not do it.’
‘I fear you do not know him so well as I do. “Daring” has simply nothing to do with it. He is not a man who dares or dares not. He is a creature who yields to every impulse of anger or passion, as blindly and unquestioningly, almost, as when he was a child. He has got an intense hatred for you now, because you have thwarted and spoken plainly to him, and he is now capable of committing any folly in order to punish you. What I wished to say is this, that if you will allow me, I will do all in my power to see you placed as soon as possible in a situation at least as good as the one which, from no fault of yours, you are forced to leave. And if I am the first to hear of such an opening, I will at once communicate with you; if you are the first, all I ask of you is, that you will write to me, and not to Mr. Askam, for references. Then I shall be able to see that justice is done, and that no scandal takes place.’
Roger yielded to the honest impulse which arose in him, to lay aside all suspicion, and thank Gilbert heartily and unaffectedly.