‘I know you thought that a very imprudent way of spending two thousand pounds. It seems my father must have held the same opinion, and between you, you have arranged that I should do nothing mischievous.’
Here he raised himself up again, and, turning to the others, went on—
‘I want you all to understand this. That which I am not trusted to handle for myself; that which is confided by my father to my younger brother to take care of, lest I should misuse it—left so by my own father, to whom I have been a dutiful and honourable son,—I take God to witness it;—that is not for me at all. I refuse to touch it. You all hear what I say?’
There was a low murmur from the doctor and Roger. Michael went on—
‘That being the case, it seems that what I have left, to call my own, is my father’s house—the house in which we were both born and brought up, where we lived as brothers, without an unbrotherly thought—on my part at least; and the house where, when I went out into the world to relieve the burden which had fallen on our affairs, I left you in my place, to tend my father; to watch over all our interests; to deal justly by me as well as by yourself——’
There was a very long pause. It seemed as if Michael, steady though his voice had remained, were unable to finish the utterance of the thoughts that were in his mind. The others were silent, and Gilbert looked doggedly downwards.
‘That house, as I say, is now all I have, but it is my own, and you have just given in the account of your stewardship,’ went on Michael, his lips white and his eyes hard, so that Roger felt a kind of fear of him. ‘There it is!’ He laid his hand upon the will. ‘To me, it has been a fatal stewardship. It has robbed me not only of my inheritance, but of my brother.’ And he advanced two or three steps nearer to Gilbert.
The latter rose; perhaps he knew what was to come. Neither of the others dared to speak. Gilbert once lifted his head and looked at his brother, but instantly his face sank again. He was voiceless, powerless, defenceless. Michael stepped aside and threw the door open wide.
‘Being my house,’ he said, ‘I order you to leave it now, this instant. Go!’
Another pause. Silence still. Michael stood waiting. Gilbert looked around him, as if he struggled to speak, but could not. He saw nothing to cheer him. Dr. Rowntree with his hands clasped, his kind face looking the picture of woe; Roger Camm frowning and silent. Gilbert took two steps towards the door.