hings unspeakably consoled and
clean; knowing that it is with such nausea and pangs that the soul of
honour is born.

Their eyes met; and it was the elder Rickman's turn for bitterness. It
had come, the moment that he had dreaded. He was afraid to meet his
son's eyes, for he knew that they had judged him. He felt that he
stood revealed in that sudden illumination of the boy's radiant soul.
An instinct of self-preservation now prompted him to belittle Keith's
character. He had found amazing comfort in the reflection that Keith
was not all that he ought to be. As far as Isaac could make out, he
was always running after the women. He was a regular young profligate,
an infidel he was. What right had he to sit in judgement?

Shrewd even in anger, he took refuge in an adroit misconstruction of
Keith's language. "I lay down _no_ conditions. I'm much too anxious
about you. I want to see you in a house of your own, settled down and
married to some good girl who'll keep you steady and respectable. It's
a simple straightforward offer, and you take it or leave it."

"I'll take it on two conditions. First, as I said before, that we
either withdraw or pay over that three thousand. Second, that in the
future no bargains are made without my knowledge--and consent. That
means giving me the entire control of my own department."

"It means reducing me to a mere cypher."

"Such bargains are questions for experts, and should be left to
experts."

"If I were to leave them to experts like you I should be bankrupt in a
fortnight."

"I'm sorry, but you must choose between your methods and mine. There's
ten minutes to do it in."

"It won't take ten minutes to see what will ruin me quickest. As I
told you before, I'm not going back on my bargain."

"Nor I on mine."

Isaac spent three minutes in reflection. He reflected first, that
Keith had been in the past "a young profligate"; secondly, that he was
at the present moment in love; thirdly, that in the future he would
infallibly be hungry. He would think very differently when he had
forgotten the lady; or if he didn't think differently he would behave
differently when his belly pinched him. Isaac was a firm believer in
the persuasive power of the primitive appetites.

"Only seven minutes," murmured Keith. "I'm sorry to hurry you, father,
but I really must catch that train."

"Wait--steady. Do you know wot you're about? You shan't do anything
rash for want of a clear understanding.