At first, when we received intelligence at any time of the place to
which Mr. Falkland had withdrawn himself, some person of his household,
Mr. Collins or myself, but most generally myself, as I was always at
home, and always, in the received sense of the word, at leisure, went to
him to persuade him to return. But, after a few experiments, we thought
it advisable to desist, and leave him to prolong his absence, or to
terminate it, as might happen to suit his own inclination. Mr. Collins,
whose grey hairs and long services seemed to give him a sort of right to
be importunate, sometimes succeeded; though even in that case there was
nothing that could sit more uneasily upon Mr. Falkland than this
insinuation as if he wanted a guardian to take care of him, or as if he
were in, or in danger of falling into, a state in which he would be
incapable of deliberately controlling his own words and actions. At one
time he would suddenly yield to his humble, venerable friend, murmuring
grievously at the constraint that was put upon him, but without spirit
enough even to complain of it with energy.
Pages:
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313