‘I’m not going to take offence,’ said Mr. Gibson, ’but let us understand each other clearly.  If you don’t want your sons to come as much to my house as they do, tell them so yourself.  I like the lads, and am glad to see them; but if they do come, you must take the consequences, whatever they are, and not blame me, or them either, for what may happen from the frequent intercourse between two young men and two young women; and what is more, though, as I said, I see nothing whatever of the kind you fear at present, and have promised to tell you of the first symptoms I do see, yet farther than that I won’t go.  If there is an attachment at any future time, I won’t interfere.’

’I should not so much mind if Roger fell in love with your Molly.  He can fight for himself, you see, and she’s an uncommon nice girl.  My poor wife was so fond of her,’ answered the squire.  ’It’s Osborne and the estate I’m thinking of!’

’Well, then, tell him not to come near us.  I shall be sorry, but you will be safe.’

’I’ll think about it; but he’s difficult to manage.  I’ve always to get my blood well up before I can speak my mind to him.’

Mr. Gibson was leaving the room, but at these words he turned and laid his hand on the squire’s arm.

’Take my advice, squire.  As I said, there is no harm done as yet, as far as I know.  Prevention is better than cure.  Speak out, but speak gently to Osborne, and do it at once.  I shall understand how it is if he does not show his face for some months in my house.  If you speak gently to him, he’ll take the advice as from a friend.  If he can assure you there’s no danger, of course he’ll come just as usual, when he likes.’

It was all very fine giving the squire this good advice; but as Osborne had already formed the very kind of marriage his father most deprecated, it did not act quite as well as Mr. Gibson had hoped.  The squire began the conversation with unusual self-control; but he grew irritated when Osborne denied his father’s right to interfere in any marriage he might contemplate; denied it with a certain degree of doggedness and weariness of the subject that drove the squire into one of his passions; and although on after reflection he remembered that he had his son’s promise and solemn word not to think of either Cynthia or Molly for his wife, yet the father and son had passed through one of those altercations which help to estrange men for life.  Each had said bitter things to the other; and, if the brotherly affection had not been so true between Osborne and Roger, they too might have become alienated, in consequence of the squire’s exaggerated and injudicious comparison of their characters and deeds.  But as Roger in his boyhood had loved Osborne too well to be jealous of the praise and love the eldest son, the beautiful brilliant lad, had received, to the disparagement of his own plain awkwardness and slowness, so now Osborne strove against any feeling of envy or jealousy with all his might; but his efforts were conscious, Roger’s had been the simple consequence of affection, and the end to poor Osborne was that he became moody and depressed in mind and body; but both father and son concealed their feelings in Roger’s presence.  When he came home just before sailing, busy and happy, the squire caught his infectious energy, and Osborne looked up and was cheerful.