"I could
never forget you were my sister's son. I regard this
as a manifest duty. I have no choice but to accept the
entire responsibility of the position you have made."
I did not know what else to do but murmur "Thank you."
"Yes," he pursued, "and there is something providential
in the circumstance that you come at the right time.
In my old firm there is a vacancy; they call themselves
Italian Warehousemen now," he continued, regarding me
with a twinkle of humour; "so you may think yourself in
luck: we were only grocers in my day. I shall place
you there to-morrow."
"Stop a moment, Uncle Adam," I broke in. "This is not
at all what I am asking. I ask you to pay Pinkerton,
who is a poor man. I ask you to clear my feet of debt,
not to arrange my life or any part of it."
"If I wished to be harsh, I might remind you that
beggars cannot be choosers," said my uncle; "and as to
managing your life, you have tried your own way
already, and you see what you have made of it. You
must now accept the guidance of those older and
(whatever you may think of it) wiser than yourself.
Pages:
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142