No sooner were they outside, than Will earnestly remonstrated with his father.
"You should not suddenly lose your pride, sir."
"I never had any, my boy. If I had, it is time I should lose it."
"And why need you talk of taking a situation? If you can only tide over a little time, Miall & Welling will come all right."
"My lad, the bladders that help you to float in that little time are rather expensive."
"I have a few pounds——"
"And you will lend me them. Good. What we must do now is this. Get your landlord to give us a couple of bedrooms in the house, and we can all use your sitting-room. Then we shall be together; and the first opportunity I have offered me of earning money, in whatever employment, I will accept it."
"If I were not disabled, sir, by this confounded arm, you would not need to do anything of the kind."
"Tuts! Every man for himself, and all of us for poor Dove, who, at present, will be moping up in that great room, terrified by the attentions of the waiters."
How they passed the day does not matter to us. In the evening they went to the theatre, and chose, at Will's instigation, the dress-circle instead of the stalls. He hoped that he might escape being seen.