special end with others whose motives
and general course are equivocal, if he is quite sure of his personal
independence, and that he is not working for his private
interest--either place or money."

"Then, why don't you extend your liberality to others?" said Will,
still nettled. "My personal independence is as important to me as
yours is to you. You have no more reason to imagine that I have
personal expectations from Brooke, than I have to imagine that you have
personal expectations from Bulstrode. Motives are points of honor, I
suppose--nobody can prove them. But as to money and place in the
world." Will ended, tossing back his head, "I think it is pretty clear
that I am not determined by considerations of that sort."

"You quite mistake me, Ladislaw," said Lydgate, surprised. He had been
preoccupied with his own vindication, and had been blind to what
Ladislaw might infer on his own account. "I beg your pardon for
unintentionally annoying you. In fact, I should rather attribute to
you a romantic disregard of your own worldly interests. On the
political question, I referred simply to intellectual bias."

"How very unpleasant you both are this evening!" said Rosamond. "I
cannot conceive why money should have been referred to. Polities and
Medicine are sufficiently disagreeable to quarrel upon. You can both
of you go on quarrelling with all the world and with each other on
those two topics."

Rosamond looked mildly neutral as she said this, rising to ring the
bell, and then crossing to her work-table.

"Poor Rosy!" said Lydgate, putting out his hand to her as she was
passing him. "Disputation is not amusing to cherubs. Have some music.
Ask Ladislaw to sing with you."

When Will was gone Rosamond said to her husband, "What put you out of
temper this evening, Tertius?"

"Me? It was Ladislaw who was out of temper. He is like a bit of
tinder."

"But I mean, before that. Something had vexed you before you came in,
you looked cross. And that made you begin to dispute with Mr.
Ladislaw. You hurt me very much when you look so, Tertius."

"Do I? Then I am a brute," said Lydgate, caressing her penitently.

"What vexed you?"

"Oh, outdoor things--business." It was really a letter insisting on
the payment of a bill for furniture. But Rosamond was expecting to
have a baby, and Lydgate wished to save her from any perturbation.

CHAPTER XLVII.

Was never true love loved in vain,
Fo