round with me. I kept upright only by my hold upon the chair; and in the
sense of utter weakness that followed, I dropped on my knees I think
first, then on the nearest seat that presented itself, and, covering my
face with my hands, had hard ado not to sob, in the sudden removal of
that strange influence,--the relaxation of the strain.

There was silence between us for some time; then he said, but with a
voice slightly broken, "I don't understand you, Phil. You must have
taken some fancy into your mind which my slower intelligence--Speak out
what you want to say. What do you find fault with? Is it all--all that
woman Jordan?"

He gave a short, forced laugh as he broke off, and shook me
almost roughly by the shoulder, saying, "Speak out! what--what do
you want to say?"

"It seems, sir, that I have said everything." My voice trembled more than
his, but not in the same way. "I have told you that I did not come by my
own will,--quite otherwise. I resisted as long as I could: now all is
said. It is for you to judge whether it was worth the trouble or not."

He got up from his seat in a hurried way. "You would have me as--mad as
yourself," he said, then sat down again as quickly. "Come, Phil: if it
will please you, not to make a breach,--the first breach between us,--you
shall have your way. I consent to your looking into that matter about the
poor tenants. Your mind shall not be upset about that, even though I
don't enter into all your views."

"Thank you," I said; "but, father, that is not what it is."