s weakness. What we
greatly dread we most unquestioningly believe; and it did not occur to
him to ask whether impatience with weakness was a necessary inference
from strength. He only knew himself to be miserably weak.

He rose and stood a moment by the mantel, with his impassive, handsome
face turned toward his daughter as if he were going to speak to her. He
was a tall man, rather thin; he was clean shaven, except for the grayish
whiskers just forward of his ears and on a line with them; he had a
regular profile, which was more attractive than the expression of his
direct regard. He took up a crystal ball that lay on the marble, and
looked into it as if he were reading his future in its lucid depths, and
then put it down again, with an effect of helplessness. When he spoke,
it was not in connection with what his daughter had been talking about.
He said almost dryly, "I think I will go up and look over some papers I
have to take with me, and then try to get a little sleep before I
start."

"And when shall we expect you back?" asked his daughter, submissively
accepting his silence concerning her sister's love affairs. She knew
that it meant acquiescence in anything that Sue and she thought best.

"I don't know, exactly; I can't say, now. Good-night."

To her surprise he came up and kissed her; his caresses were for Sue,
and she expected them no more than she invited them. "Why, father!" she
said in a pleased voice.

"Let James pack the small bag for me, and send Elbridge to me in about
an hour," he said, as he went out into the hall.

V.

Northwick was now fifty-nine years old, but long before he reached this
age he had seen many things to make him doubt the moral government of
the universe. His earliest instruction had been such as we all receive.
He had been taught to believe that there was an overruling power which
would punish him if he did wrong, and reward him if he did right; or
would, at least, be displeased in one case, and pleased in the other.
The precept took primarily the monitory form, and first enforced the
fact of the punishment or the displeasure; there were times when the
reward or the pleasure might not sensibly follow upon good behavior, but
evil behavior never escaped the just consequences. This was the doctrine
which framed the man's intention if not his conduct of life, and
continued to shape it years after experience of the world, and
especially of the business world, had gainsaid