“You have calculated, of course, that even if your business succeeds to an extraordinary extent, you are never likely to make anything like as much money as will come to my heir?”
“I have always heard that you are enormously wealthy. You are probably quite right; but,”—Jack paused in front of the lounge-chair and looked down at the shrunken figure from the height of six-foot-one,—“looking back on your own life, sir, has your greatest happiness come from the amount of your possessions? Has it increased as they increased? Can you honestly advise me as a young man to sacrifice everything for money?”
There was silence for several minutes, while Mr Farrell winced and shrank within himself, as if the words had touched a hidden sore. He never referred to his own domestic life; but it was well-known that for years it had been one of ideal happiness, and that with the loss of wife and son, his real life had closed for ever. He avoided a direct reply to Jack’s question by asking another in return.
“There are other things which many men consider more important. I have sometimes imagined that you would agree with them. Have you reflected that in returning to town you may be leaving behind even more than land or fortune, and thereby losing a dearer chance of happiness!”
The blood rushed into Jack’s face. He could not affect to misunderstand the drift of the old man’s words, but to acknowledge their truth was impossible, and the orthodox protests seemed to come of their own accord.
“What do you mean? What am I leaving? I hardly understand...”
Mr Farrell laughed shortly.
“Young people seem to imagine that their elders cannot see what is happening under their eyes. I have watched you and Mollie, and thought that there might possibly be an interesting dénouement to your friendship. She has faults, but she has a kind heart and would make a good wife.”
Jack’s face stiffened.
“Hadn’t we better keep her name out of the discussion, sir? I have the greatest respect and admiration for both your nieces, but, as far as anything further is concerned, I am not in a position to think of marriage. It may be years before I can keep a house, and I would never tie down a girl indefinitely.”