Vol.1 f.045 recto

[far ?? ??? ???? ????? >>>>>]
[go often I'm known it ????????] far [from?] behind. I need not dwell [????] on this to you, mother. You know it necessarily.”

“I know what you mean,” she [responded] answered, in a qualified [??] tone.

“Even this old [??? fallen?] house in [?? ?????????] in which we speak,” pursued her son, “is [????????] is[??] an [?????? ???? ?? is house?] [??????? ???? ????? and]
[of had ?????????? ??????????????] instance [????? ?????] of what I say. In my father’s earlier time, and in his uncle’s time before him, it was a
place of business—really a place of business, and business resort. Now, it is [an ?????? ??????? ???????? ???] a mere anomaly and [???????] [incompetent?] incongruity
[?? old f??? ????? ????? quite?] [????? ??????] here, out of date and [?? dated] out of purpose. All [???] our consignments [all] have long been made to
Rovinghams” the commission-merchants; and although, [??? ????] as a check upon them, and [??] in the [?????? ??? ?????] stewardship
[my ????? ?????] of my father’s resources, your [??????? ????? ?????????? ?????? ??????] judgment and watchfulness and energy
[???????] have been [?? ???? of all ???????] actively [????]exerted, still [??? ????] [??????]those qualities would have influenced [his?] my father’s fortunes equally, [?? ????? ?????]
if you had lived in any private dwelling: would they not [????]?”

“[?? house?] Do you consider [??????],” she [????????] returned, without [??? ???? ???????] answering his question, “that a house serves
no purpose, [??????] Arthur, in sheltering your infirm and afflicted [??????]—justly [?ff?????ted] infirm and
righteously afflicted—mother?”

“[???]I was speaking only of [??]business [?????? ???????? have ????? ?????????] purposes.”

“[Why?] With what object [?????]?”

“I am coming to it.”

“[???? ???? ???? ????? ???? ????? ???? ???? ??] I foresee,” she returned, [holding her ??????] fixing her eyes upon him, [????? ???? ??????] “what it is. [?????? ???? ?????? ???? ?????] But the Lord forbid that I should repine under any
visitation. In my sinfulness I [deserve] merit bitter disappointment, and I accept it.”

“Mother, I grieve to hear you [?????????? ???? ???? ????] speak like this, though I have had
my apprehensions that [??] you would [?????]—”

“You knew [it] I would. You knew me,” she [??????????][??????????]interrupted.

[????????????] Her son paused for a moment. He had struck fire out of her, and was [?? ??? ???? ?????? ?????? ?????] surprised. “Well [????]!” she said, [????????]relapsing
into stone. “Go on. Let me hear.”

“[??] You have anticipated, mother, that I decide for my part, to abandon the business. I have done with it. I will not take
upon myself to advise you; [I?] you will continue it, I [???? ???]. see If I had any influence with you, I [?????] would
simply use it to [????? ????? ????? ??????] soften your judgment of me in [?? ?????] causing you this disappointment:
to represent to you that I [???? ????? ?????] have lived the half of a long [???????] term of [????] life, and have never before
set my own will against yours. [???? ????? ????? ?????? ????????? ???? ???] I cannot say that I have been able to conform myself, in heart and spirit, to
your [???? ????? ??????? ?? ??????] rules [??????]; I cannot say that I believe my forty years have been profitable [??]
[???? ???? ?????] or pleasant to myself, or any one; [???? ????? ?????? ????? ?????? ????? ?????]
[??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????]
[??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????]
[??????????????????????????????]
[??????????????????????????????] but I have habitually submitted, and [???] I only ask you to remember it.”

Woe to the suppliant, if such [?????] a[????????] one there were or [had?] ever had been, who had any
concession to look for in the [?????? ????? faces] inexorable face at the cabinet. Woe to the defaulter [??????]
[?????] whose appeal lay to the tribunal [of those ???? eyes?] where those [????? ????? ???????] [??????????????]severe eyes presided. Great need had
the rigid woman of [???] her mystical religion, [??] veiled in gloom and darkness, with lightnings of cursing,
vengeance, and destruction, flashing [??????? ????????] through the sable clouds. Forgive us our debts as we
forgive our debtors, was a [???????? f????] prayerall too [??????? ????? ??????? ??????] poor[?????? ????? ??????? ?????? ????? ????]in spirit for her. Smite Thou my debtors, Lord,
wither them, [????]crush them [a]; do Thou as I would do, and Thou shalt have my worship: this [??????] was
the [?????????] [???]impious tower of [????] [???] stone [???????????? ???????????????????????????? ???] [??????????] she built up [and ??? ??????] to [???????]
scale Heaven.

“Have you [????] finished, Arthur, or have you [??????] anything more to [????] say to me? ? I think there can be nothing
else. You have been [?????????????????] short, but [?????????????????????????????????????] very full of [??????????] matter!”