“I would talk the hands round the clock if I thought I could help you to see your duty with other eyes than your own,” replied the old man.  “I am quite ready to speak when you are to listen.  And I shall begin by reminding you that you are a father.  You expect Sabina to be a mother in the full meaning of that beautiful word; but a child must have a father also.”

“I am willing to be a father.”

“Yes, on your own values, which ignore the welfare of the community, justice to the next generation, and the respect you should entertain for yourself.”

“Well, we’ll thresh it out another time.  You know I respect you very much, Uncle Ernest; and I’m sure you’ll weigh my point of view and not let Aunt Jenny influence you.”

“I have a series of duties before me,” answered Mr. Churchouse; “and not least among them is to reconcile you and your aunt.  That you should have broken with your sole remaining relative is heart-breaking.”

“I’d be friends to-morrow; but you know her.”

He went away to the works and Ernest took the grapes to Mrs. Dinnett.

“You’d better not let her have them, however, unless the doctor permits it,” said Mr. Churchouse, whereupon, Mary, not trusting herself to speak, took the grapes and departed.  The affront embodied in the fruit affected a mind much overwrought of late.  She took the present to Sabina’s room.

“There,” she said.  “He’s sunk to sending that.  I’d like to fling them in his face.”

“Take them away.  I can’t touch them.”

“Touch them!  And poisoned as likely as not.  A man that’s committed his crimes would stick at nothing.”

“He uses poison enough,” said the young mother; “but only the poison he can use safely.  It matters nothing to him if I live or die.  No doubt he’d will me dead, and this child too, if he could; but seeing he can’t, he cares nothing.  He’ll heap insult on injury, no doubt.  He’s made of clay coarse enough to do it.  But when I’m well, I’ll see him and make it clear, once for all.”

“You say that now.  But I hope you’ll never see him, or breathe the same air with him.”

“Once—­when I’m strong.  I don’t want him to go on living his life without knowing what I’m thinking of him.  I don’t want him to think he can pose as a decent man again.  I want him to know that the road-menders and road-sweepers are high above him.”

“Don’t you get in a passion.  He knows all that well enough.  He isn’t deceiving himself any more than anybody else.  All honest people know what he is—­foul wretch.  Yes, he’s poisoned three lives, if no more, and they are yours and mine and that sleeping child’s.”

“He’s ruined his aunt’s life, too.  She’s thrown him over.”

“That won’t trouble him.  War against women is what you’d expect.  But please God, he’ll be up against a man some day—­then we shall see a different result.  May the Almighty let me live long enough to see him in the gutter, where he belongs.  I ask no more.”