human
Have 'ou brought me a present?
gpt
No, my dear, he replied quickly.
human
I'm so sorry; I forgot it.
gpt
Did 'ou? said Daisy, puckering her pretty brows;
human
Then 'ou're not like our pretty lady; she did not forget; she brought lots and lots and lots.
gpt
I am very sorry, replied Jasper;
human
I will think of it next time.
gpt
I am your wife's half-brother,
human
Indeed! replied Mr. Home. He was not a man easily surprised, but this announcement did bring a slight color into his face.
gpt
You are Mr. Harman, he repeated.
human
I am sorry my wife is away. She is staying at Torquay with our eldest boy, who has been ill. She has seen your daughter.
gpt
Not my daughter, sir, my niece--a fine girl, but Quixotic, a little fanciful and apt to take up whims, but a fine girl for all that.
human
I, too, have seen Miss Harman, answered Mr. Home.
gpt
I met her once in Regent's Park, and, without knowing anything about us, she was good to our children. You must pardon me, sir, if in expressing the same opinion about her we come to it by different roads. It seems to me that the fine traits in Miss Harman's character are _due_ to her Quixotic or unworldly spirit.
human
The man who says that, is unworldly himself, therefore unpractical. So much the better for my purpose. Aloud he said,
gpt
Doubtless you put the case best, sir; but I will not take up your valuable time discussing my niece's virtues. I have come to talk to you on a little matter of business. Your wife has told you her story?
human
My wife has certainly concealed nothing from me,
gpt
She has mentioned her father's very curious will?
human
His very unjust will,
gpt
Yes, sir, I agree with you, it was unjust. It is to talk to you about that will I have come to you to-night.
human
Sit nearer to the fire,
gpt
It was, as you say, an unjust will, proceeded old Jasper, peering hard with his short-sighted eyes at the curate, and trying to read some emotion beneath his very grave exterior. Being unable to fathom the depths of a character which was absolutely above the love of money, he felt perplexed, he scarcely liked this great self-possession. Did this Home know too much?
human
It was an unjust will, he repeated,
gpt
The allowance you made was not very ample, replied Mr. Home,
human
Yes, sir; and there I own we--my brother and I--were guilty of an act of injustice. I can only exonerate us on the plea of want of thought. Our father's widow was a young woman--younger than either of us. The child was but a baby. The widow's death seemed a very far off contingency. We placed the money we had agreed to allow her the interest on, in the hands of our solicitor. We absolutely forgot the matter. I went to Australia, my brother grew old at home. When, five or six years ago, we heard that Mrs. Harman was dead, and that our three thousand pounds could return to us, we had absolutely forgotten the child. In this I own we showed sad neglect. Your wife's visit to my niece, through a mere accident, has recalled her to our memory, and I come here to-night to say that we are willing, willing and anxious, to repay that neglect, and to settle on your wife the sum of three thousand pounds; that sum to be hers unconditionally, to do what she pleases with.
gpt
My wife is away at present. I would rather not trouble her with money matters during her short holiday. When she returns I will tell her what you say and communicate to you the result.