"It's all right," said Sir John to Mr. Knight, "that is, he won't marryher, at any rate at present, so I suppose that we should both bepleased, if anyone can be pleased with cut lips and two black eyes. Andyet somehow we seem to have made a mess of it," and he glanced at theshattered marble statue of the Victorian angel of which both the wingswere broken off.
"We have done our duty," replied Mr. Knight, pursing up his thin lips,"and at least Godfrey is freed from your daughter."
"I'm not so sure of that, my reverend friend. But of one thing I amsure, that I am freed from her also, or rather that she is freed fromme. Also you are freed from him. Don't you understand, you viciouslittle viper, that you will never see that young man again, and thatthanks to your cursed advice I shall never see my daughter again, atleast not really? What devil was it that sent you to play upon myweaknesses and ambition? If you had left things alone and they had cometo me in a natural way there would have been a row, of course, but Idare say it would have ended all right. But you told me how to work onhim and I overdid the part. Now nothing can ever be all right foreither of us, or for them either, until we are both dead. Do youunderstand also that we have made two young people who should have beenthe supports of our old age desire above everything our deaths becausewe have given them cause to hate us, and since they are of the sortthat keep their word, only by our deaths can they become free, or, atany rate, by mine? Well, it doesn't matter what you understand, youlittle bigot, but I know what I do."
"I have done my duty," repeated Mr. Knight sullenly, "and I don't carewhat happens afterwards. '_Fiat justita ruat coelum_,'" he added in theLatin tag.
"Oh, yes. Justice may say fie and the sky may be rude, and anythingelse may happen, but we've dished our lives and theirs, my friend,and--damn you! get out of my sight. Rows I am accustomed to with Isobeland others, but this isn't a row, it's an earthquake; it's acatastrophe, for which I have to thank you. Lord! how my mouth hurts,and I can't see out of my right eye. Talk of a mailed fist, that youngbeggar has one like a pole-axe. Now I must go to telegraph to all thosepeople. Temporary indisposition, yes--temporary indisposition, that'sit. Good-bye, my holy friend. You won't do as much mischief in one dayagain in a hurry, spy as hard as you like."
Then Sir John departed, nursing his cut lips with one hand and hisbroken umbrella with the other.
Mr. Knight watched him go, and said to himself:
"I thought that I disliked the daughter, but the father is worse.Offensive, purse-proud, vulgar beast! How dare he speak to me likethat! I'm glad, yes, I'm glad Godfrey knocked him down, though Isuppose there will be a scandal. Well, my hands are clean; I have donemy duty, and I must not complain if it is unpleasant, since I havedragged Godfrey back from the mouth of the pit. I think I'll take awalk to steady my nerves; it may be as well not to meet Godfrey againjust now."