‘After all,’ said Albinia, ’U.  O’More is rather personal in writing to a creditor’

‘It might be worse,’ said Ulick, laughing, ’if my name was John.  I. O’More would be a dangerous confession.  But I’ll not be come round even by your fun, Mrs. Kendal, I’ll not part with my father’s name.’

‘No, that would be base,’ said Sophy.

‘Who would wish to persuade you?’ added Albinia.  ’I am sure you are right in refusing with your feelings; I only want you to forgive your uncle, and not to break with him.’

’I’d forgive him his ignorance, but my mother herself could not wish me to forgive what he said of my father.’

‘And how if he thinks this explosion needs forgiveness?’

‘He must do without it,’ said Ulick.  ’No, I was cool, I assure you, cool and collected, but it was not fit for me to stand by and hear my father insulted.’

Albinia closed the difficult discussion by observing that it was time to dress, and Sophy followed her from the room burning with indignant sympathy.  ’It would be meanly subservient to ask pardon for defending a father whom he thought maligned,’ said Albinia, and Sophy took exception at the word ‘thought.’

‘Ah! of course he cannot be deceived!’ said Albinia—­but no sooner were the words spoken than she was half-startled, half-charmed by finding they had evoked a glow of colour.

‘How do you think it will end?’ asked Sophy.

’I can hardly fancy he will not be forgiven, and yet—­it might be better.’

‘Yes, I do think he would get on faster in India,’ said Sophy eagerly; ‘he could do just as Gilbert might have done.’

Was it possible for Albinia to have kept out of her eyes a significant glance, or to have disarmed her lips of a merry smile of amused encouragement!  How she had looked she knew not, but the red deepened on Sophy’s whole face, and after one inquiring gaze from the eyes they were cast down, and an ineffable brightness came over the expression, softening and embellishing.

‘What have I done?’ thought Albinia.  ’Never mind—­it must have been all there, or it would not have been wakened so easily—­if he goes they will have a scene first.’

But when Mr. Kendal came back he only advised Ulick to go to his desk as usual the next day, as if nothing had happened.

And Ulick owned that, turn out as things might, he could not quit his work in the first ardour of his resentment, and with a great exertion of Christian forgiveness, he finally promised not to give notice of his retirement unless his uncle should repeat the offence.  This time Albinia durst not look at Sophy.

Rather according to his friend’s hopes than his own, he was able to report at the close of the next day, that he had not ’had a word from his uncle, except a nod;’ and thus the days passed on, Andrew Goldsmith did not appear, and it became evident that he was to remain on sufferance as a clerk.  Nor did Albinia and Sophy venture to renew the subject between themselves.  At first there was consciousness in their silence; soon their minds were otherwise engrossed.