IhadexpectedthatthevaletwouldbedismissedwhenIappeared，butnothingofthesorthappened。Therehestood，infrontofhismaster’schair，tremblingundertheweightoftheetchings，andthereMrFairliesat，serenelytwirlingthemagnifyingglassbetweenhiswhitefingersandthumbs。
`Ihavecometospeaktoyouonaveryimportantmatter，’Isaid，`andyouwillthereforeexcuseme，ifIsuggestthatwehadbetterbealone。’
Theunfortunatevaletlookedatmegratefully。MrFairliefaintlyrepeatedmylastthreewords，`betterbealone，’witheveryappearanceoftheutmostpossibleastonishment。
Iwasinnohumourfortrifling，andIresolvedtomakehimunderstandwhatImeant。
`Obligemebygivingthatmanpermissiontowithdraw，’Isaid，pointingtothevalet。
MrFairliearchedhiseyebrowsandpurseduphislipsinsarcasticsurprise。
`Man？’herepeated。`YouprovokingoldGilmore，whatcanyoupossiblymeanbycallinghimaman？He’snothingofthesort。Hemighthavebeenamanhalfanhourago，beforeIwantedmyetchings，andhemaybeamanhalfanhourhence，whenIdon’twantthemanylonger。Atpresentheissimplyaportfoliostand。Whyobject，Gilmore，toaportofoliostand？’
`IdoobjectForthethirdtime，MrFairlie，Ibegthatwemaybealone。’
Mytoneandmannerlefthimnoalternativebuttocomplywithmyrequest。
Helookedattheservant，andpointedpeevishlytoachairathisside。
`Putdowntheetchingsandgoaway，’hesaid。`Don’tupsetmebylosingmyplace。Haveyou，orhaveyounot，lostmyplace？Areyousureyouhavenot？Andhaveyouputmyhandbellquitewithinmyreach？Yes？Thenwhythedevildon’tyougo？’
Thevaletwentout。MrFairlietwistedhimselfroundinhischair，polishedthemagnifyingglasswithhisdelicatecambrichandkerchief，andindulgedhimselfwithasidelonginspectionoftheopenvolumeofetchings。Itwasnoteasytokeepmytemperunderthesecircumstances，butIdidkeepit。
`Ihavecomehereatgreatpersonalinconvenience，’Isaid，`toservetheinterestsofyournieceandyourfamily，andIthinkIhaveestablishedsomeslightclaimtobefavouredwithyourattentioninreturn。’
`Don’tbullyme！’exclaimedMrFairlie，fallingbackhelplesslyinthechair，andclosinghiseyes。`Pleasedon’tbullyme。I’mnotstrongenough。’
Iwasdeterminednottolethimprovokeme，forLauraFairlie’ssake。
`Myobject，’Iwenton，`istoentreatyoutoreconsideryourletter，andnottoforcemetoabandonthejustrightsofyourniece，andofallwhobelongtoher。Letmestatethecasetoyouoncemore，andforthelasttime。’
MrFairlieshookhisheadandsighedpiteously。
`Thisisheartlessofyou，Gilmore——veryheartless，’hesaid。`Nevermind，goon。’
Iputallthepointstohimcarefully——Isetthematterbeforehimineveryconceivablelight。HelaybackinthechairthewholetimeIwasspeakingwithhiseyesclosed。WhenIhaddoneheopenedthemindolently，tookhissilversmelling-bottlefromthetable，andsniffedatitwithanairofgentlerelish。
`GoodGilmoreI’hesaidbetweenthesniffs，`howverynicethisisofyouIHowyoureconcileonetohumannature！’
`Givemeaplainanswertoaplainquestion，MrFairlie。Itellyouagain，SirPercivalGlydehasnoshadowofaclaimtoexpectmorethantheincomeofthemoney。Themoneyitself，ifyourniecehasnochildren，oughttobeunderhercontrol，andtoreturntoherfamily。Ifyoustandfirm，SirPercivalmustgiveway——hemustgiveway，Itellyou，orheexposeshimselftothebaseimputationofmarryingMissFairlieentirelyfrommercenarymotives。’
MrFairlieshookthesilversmelling-bottleatmeplayfully。
`YoudearoldGilmore，howyoudohaterankandfamily，don’tyou？HowyoudetestGlydebecausehehappenstobeabaronet。WhataRadicalyouare——oh，dearme，whataRadicalyouare！’
ARadical！！！Icouldputupwithagooddealofprovocation，but，afterholdingthesoundestConservativeprinciplesallmylife，IcouldnotputupwithbeingcalledaRadical。Mybloodboiledatit——Istartedoutofmychair——Iwasspeechlesswithindignation。
`Don’tshaketheroom！’criedMrFairlie——`forHeaven’ssakedon’tshaketheroomIWorthiestofallpossibleGilmores，Imeantnooffence。
MyownviewsaresoextremelyliberalthatIthinkIamaRadicalmyself。
Yes。WeareapairofRadicals。Pleasedon’tbeangry。Ican’tquarrel——Ihaven’tstaminaenough。Shallwedropthesubject？Yes。Comeandlookatthesesweetetchings。Doletmeteachyoutounderstandtheheavenlypearlinessoftheselines。Donow，there’sagoodGilmore！’
WhilehewasmaunderingoninthiswayIwas，fortunatelyformyownself-respect，returningtomysenses。WhenIspokeagainIwascomposedenoughtotreathisimpertinencewiththesilentcontemptthatitdeserved。
`Youareentirelywrong，sir，’Isaid，`insupposingthatIspeakfromanyprejudiceagainstSirPercivalGlyde。Imayregretthathehassounreservedlyresignedhimselfinthismattertohislawyer’sdirectionastomakeanyappealtohimselfimpossible，butIamnotprejudicedagainsthim。WhatIhavesaidwouldequallyapplytoanyothermaninhissituation，highorlow。TheprincipleImaintainisarecognisedprinciple。Ifyouweretoapplytothenearesttownhere，tothefirstrespectablesolicitoryoucouldfind，hewouldtellyouasastrangerwhatItellyouasafriend。
Hewouldinformyouthatitisagainstallruletoabandonthelady’smoneyentirelytothemanshemarries。Hewoulddecline，ongroundsofcommonlegalcaution，togivethehusband，underanycircumstanceswhatever，aninterestoftwentythousandpoundsinhiswife’sdeath。’
`Wouldhereally，Gilmore？’saidMrFairlie。`Ifhesaidanythinghalfsohorrid，IdoassureyouIshouldtinklemybellforLouis，andhavehimsentoutofthehouseimmediately。’
`Youshallnotirritateme，MrFairlie——foryourniece’ssakeandforherfather’ssake，youshallnotirritateme。YoushalltakethewholeresponsibilityofthisdiscreditablesettlementonyourownshouldersbeforeIleavetheroom。’
`Don’t！——nowpleasedon’t！’saidMrFairlie。`Thinkhowpreciousyourtimeis，Gilmore，anddon’tthrowitaway。IwoulddisputewithyouifIcould，butIcan’t——Ihaven’tstaminaenough。Youwanttoupsetme，toupsetyourself，toupsetGlyde，andtoupsetLaura；and——oh，dearme！——allforthesakeoftheverylastthingintheworldthatislikelytohappen。No，dearfriend，intheinterestsofpeaceandquietness，positivelyNo！’
`Iamtounderstand，then，thatyouholdbythedeterminationexpressedinyourletter？’
`Yes，please。Sogladweunderstandeachotheratlast。Sitdownagain——do！’
Iwalkedatoncetothedoor，andMrFairlieresignedly`tinkled’hishand-bell。BeforeIlefttheroomIturnedroundandaddressedhimforthelasttime。
`Whateverhappensinthefuture，sir，’Isaid，`rememberthatmyplaindutyofwarningyouhasbeenperformed。Asthefaithfulfriendandservantofyourfamily，Itellyou，atparting，thatnodaughterofmineshouldbemarriedtoanymanaliveundersuchasettlementasyouareforcingmetomakeforMissFairlie。’
Thedooropenedbehindme，andthevaletstoodwaitingonthethreshold。
`Louis，’saidMrFairlie，`showMrGilmoreout，andthencomebackandholdupmyetchingsformeagain。Makethemgiveyouagoodlunchdownstairs。
Do，Gilmore，makemyidlebeastsofservantsgiveyouagoodlunch！’
Iwastoomuchdisgustedtoreply——Iturnedonmyheel，andlefthiminsilence。Therewasanuptrainattwoo’clockintheafternoon，andbythattrainIreturnedtoLondon。
OntheTuesdayIsentinthealteredsettlement，whichpracticallydisinheritedtheverypersonswhomMissFairlie’sownlipshadinformedmeshewasmostanxioustobenefit。Ihadnochoice。AnotherlawyerwouldhavedrawnupthedeedifIhadrefusedtoundertakeit。
Mytaskisdone。MypersonalshareintheeventsofthefamilystoryextendsnofartherthanthepointwhichIhavejustreached。Otherpensthanminewilldescribethestrangecircumstanceswhicharenowshortlytofollow。SeriouslyandsorrowfullyIclosethisbriefrecord。SeriouslyandsorrowfullyIrepeatherethepartingwordsthatIspokeatLimmeridgeHouse：——NodaughterofmineshouldhavebeenmarriedtoanymanaliveundersuchasettlementasIwascompelledtomakeforLauraFairlie。
[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter10[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter10THESTORYCONTINUEDBYMARIANHALCOMBE(inExtractsfromherDiary)LIMMERIDGEHOUSE，NOV。8。
THISmorningMrGilmoreleftus。
HisinterviewwithLaurahadevidentlygrievedandsurprisedhimmorethanhelikedtoconfess。Ifeltafraid，fromhislookandmannerwhenweparted，thatshemighthaveinadvertentlybetrayedtohimtherealsecretofherdepressionandmyanxiety。Thisdoubtgrewonmeso，afterhehadgone，thatIdeclinedridingoutwithSirPercival，andwentuptoLaura’sroominstead。
