The Trial [136]
have done, but show him their faces at the permitted intervals? which would be mere wear and tear of feeling, very bad for both parties. Averil drooped, and disputed not--guessing, though not yet understanding, the heart hunger she should feel even for such a dreary glimpse. Every hour seemed to be another turn of the wheel that hurried on the departure. The successor wished to take house and furniture as they stood, and to enter into possession as soon as possible, as he already had taken the practice. This coincided with Henry's burning impatience to be quit of everything, and to try to drown the sense of his own identity in the crowds of London. He was his sisters' only guardian, their property was entirely in his hands, and no one had the power of offering any obstacle, so that no delay could be interposed; and the vague design passed with startling suddenness to a fixed decision, to be carried into execution immediately. It came in one burst upon the May household that Averil and her sisters were coming to spend a last evening before their absolute packing to go on the Saturday to London, where they would provide their outfit, and start in a month for America. The tidings were brought by Mary, who had, as usual, been spending part of the morning with Averil. No one seemed to be so much taken by surprise as Tom, whose first movement was to fall on his sisters for not having made him aware of such a preposterous scheme. They thought he knew. He knew that all the five quarters of the world had been talked of in a wild sort of a way; but how could he suppose that any man could be crazed enough to prefer to be an American citizen, when he might remain a British subject? Repugnance to America was naturally strong in Tom, and had of late been enhanced by conversations with an Eton friend, who, while quartered in Canada, had made excursions into the States, and acquired such impressions as high-bred young officers were apt to bring home from a superficial view of them. Thus fortified, he demanded whether any reasonable person had tried to bring Henry Ward to his senses. Ethel believed that papa had advised otherwise. 'Advised! It should have been enforced! If he is fool enough to alter his name, and throw up all his certificates what is to become of him? He will get no practice in any civilized place, and will have to betake himself to some pestilential swamp, will slave his sisters to death, spend their money, and destroy them with ague. How can you sit still and look on, Ethel?' 'But what could I do?' 'Stir up my father to interfere.' 'I thought you always warned us against interfering with Henry Ward.' He treated this speech as maliciously designed to enrage him. 'Ethel!' he stammered, 'in a case like this--where the welfare--the very life--of one--of your dearest friend--of Mary's, I mean--I did think you would have been above--' 'But, Tom, I would do my utmost, and so would papa, if it were possible to do anything; but it is quite in vain. Henry is resolved against remaining under British rule, and America seems to be the only field for him.' 'Much you know or care!' cried Tom. 'Well, if no one else will, I must!' With which words he departed, leaving his sister surprised at his solicitude, and dubious of the efficacy of his remonstrance, though she knew by experience that Tom was very different in a great matter from what he was in a small one. Tom betook himself to Bankside, and the first person he encountered there was his little friend Ella, who ran up to him at once. 'Oh, Mr. Tom, we are going to America! Shall you be sorry?' 'Very sorry,' said Tom, as the little hand was confidingly thrust into his. 'I should not mind it, if you were coming too, Mr. Tom!' 'What, to play at French billiards?' 'No, indeed! To find objects for the microscope. I shall save all the objects I meet, and send them home in a letter.' 'An alligator or two, or a branch of the Mississippi,' said Tom, in a young man's absent way of half-answering a pet child; but the reply so struck Ella's fancy, that, springing through the open