'
'As if that was a will! You consented.'
'We all thought it right.'
He made a gesture of dismay at such folly.
'I do not think you understand how it was, Mr. Fordyce,' said
Clarence, who by this time was quivering and trembling as in his
boyish days.
'No, nor ever wish to do so. Such matters ought to be forgotten,
and you don't look fit to say another word.'
'Edward will tell you,' said Clarence, leaning back.
I had the whole written out, and was about to begin, when the
person, with whom there was an appointment, was reported, and we
knew that the rest of the day was mapped out.
'Look here,' said Mr. Fordyce, 'leave that with me; I can't give any
answer off-hand, except that Don Quixote is come alive again, only
too like himself.'
Which was true, for Clarence took long to rally from the effort, and
had to be kept quiet for some time in the study where we were left.
He examined me on the contents of my paper, and was vexed to hear
that I had mentioned the ghost, which he said would discredit the
whole. Never was the dear fellow so much inclined to be fretful,
and when Martyn restlessly observed that if we did not want him, he
might as well go back to the drawing-room, the reply was quite
sharp--'Oh yes, by all means.'
No wonder there was pain in the tone; for the next words, after some
interval, were, when two happy voices came ringing in from the
garden behind, 'You see, Edward.
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