'Let it go then. Be quit of him, however it may be. Send a messenger so that he may understand that you have abandoned racing altogether. Mr Moreton might perhaps see him.'
That his father should forgive so readily and yet himself suffer so deeply, affected the son's feelings so strongly that for a time he could hardly repress his sobs. 'And now there shall not be a word more said about it,' said the Duke suddenly.
Silverbridge in his confusion could make no answer.
'There shall not be another word said about it,' said the Duke again. 'And now what do you mean to do with yourself immediately?'
'I'll stay here, sir, as long as you do. Finn and Warburton, and I have still a few covers to shoot.'
'That's a good reason for staying anywhere.'
'I meant that I would remain while you remained, sir.'
'That at any rate is a good reason, as far as I am concerned. But we go to Custins next week.'
'There's a deal of shooting to be done at Gatherum,' said the heir.
'You speak of it as the business of your life,--on which your bread depended.'
'One can't expect game to be kept up if nobody goes to shoot it.'
'Can't one? I didn't know. I should have thought that the less was shot the more there would be to shoot; but I am ignorant in such matters.' Silverbridge then broke forth into a long explanation as to coverts, gamekeepers, poachers, breeding, and the expectations of the neighbourhood at large, in the middle of which he was interrupted by the Duke. 'I am afraid, my dear boy, that I am too old to learn. But as it is so manifestly a duty, go and perform it like a man. Who will go with you?'
'I will ask Mr Finn to be one.'
'He will be very hard on you in the way of politics.'
'I can answer him better than I can you, sir. Mr Lupton said he would come for a day or two. He'll stand to me.'
After that his father stopped him as he was about to leave the room. 'One more word, Silverbridge. Do you remember what you were saying when you walked down to the House with me from your club that night?' Silverbridge remembered very well what he had said.
He had undertaken to ask Mabel Grex to be his wife, and had received his father's ready approval to the proposition. But at this moment he was unwilling to refer to the matter. 'I have thought about it very much since that,' said the Duke. 'I may say that I have been thinking of it every day. If there were anything to tell me, you would let me know;--would you not?'
'Yes, sir.'
'Then there is nothing to be told? I hope you have not changed your mind.'
Silverbridge paused a moment, trusting that he might be able to escape the making of an answer;--but the Duke evidently intended to have an answer. 'It appeared to me, sir, that it did not seem to suit her,' said the hardly-driven young man. He could not now say that Mabel had shown a disposition to reject his offer, because as they had been sitting by the brookside at Killancodlem, even he, with all his self-diffidence, had been forced to see what were her wishes. Her confusion, and too evident despair when she heard of the offer to the American girl, had plainly told her tale. He could not now plead to his father that Mabel Grex would refuse his offer. But his self-defence, when first he found that he had lost himself in love for the American, had been based on that idea. He had done his best to make Mabel understand him. If he had not actually offered to her, he had done the next thing to it. And he had run after her, till he was ashamed of such running. She had given him no encouragement;--and therefore he had been justified.
No doubt he must have been mistaken; that he now perceived; but still he felt himself to be justified. It was impossible that he should explain all this to his father. One thing he certainly could not say,--just at present. After his folly with regard to those heavy debts he could not at once risk his father's renewed anger by proposing to him an American daughter-in-law. That must stand over, at any rate till the girl had accepted him positively.
'I am afraid it won't come off, sir,' he said at last.
'Then I am to presume that you have changed your mind?'
'I told you when we were speaking that I was not confident.'
'She has not--'
'I can't explain it all, sir,--but I fear it won't come off.'
Then the Duke, who had been sitting, got up from his chair and with his back to the fire made a final little speech. 'We decided just now, Silverbridge, that nothing more should be said about that unpleasant racing business, and nothing more shall be said by me. But you must not be surprised if I am anxious to see you settled in life. No young man could be more bound by duty to marry early than you are. In the first place you have to repair the injury done by my inaptitude for society. You have explained to me that it is your duty to have the Barsetshire coverts properly shot, and I have acceded to your views. Surely it must be equally your duty to see your Barsetshire neighbours. And you are a young man every feature of whose character would be improved by matrimony. As far as means are concerned you are almost as free to make arrangements as though you were already head of the family.'
'No, sir.'
'I could never bring myself to dictate to a son in regard to his choice of a wife. But I will own that when you told me that you had chosen I was much gratified. Try and think again when you are pausing amidst your sacrifices at Gatherum, whether that be possible. If it be not, still I would wish you to bear in mind what is my idea as to your duty.' Silverbridge said that he would bear this in mind, and then escaped from the room.
