Philip was too angry to answer his aunt. To change the subject he said, ’Miss Cusworth has refused to receive anything from us. That some influence has been brought to bear on her to induce this, I have no doubt, and I have as little doubt as to whose influence was exerted.’ He looked fixedly at his aunt.
’I am glad she has had the grace to do so,’ answered Mrs. Sidebottom cheerily. ’No, Philip, you need not drive your eyes into me, as if they were bradawls. I can quite understand that she has told you all, and laid the blame on me. I do not deny my part in the transaction. I am not ashamed of it; on the contrary, I glory in it. You were on the threshold of a great folly, that jeopardized the firm of Pennycomequick, and my allowance out of it as well. I have stepped in to stop you. I had my own interests to look after. I have saved you four thousand pounds, which you could not afford to lose. Am not I an aunt whose favour is worth cultivating; an aunt who deserves to be treated with elementary politeness?’
’We see everything through opposite ends of the telescope. What is infinitely small to me and far away, is to you present and immense; and what to me is close at hand and overwhelming, is quite beyond your horizon. To my view of things we are committing a moral wrong when technically right. How that will was cancelled, and by whom, will probably never be known; but nothing in the world will persuade me that Uncle Jeremiah swung from one extremity of liberality to Miss Cusworth, coupled with injustice to us, to the other extreme of generosity to us and absolute neglect of her. Such a thing could not be. He would turn in his grave if he thought that she, an innocent, defenceless girl, was to be left in this heartless, criminal manner, without a penny in the world, contrary to his wishes.’
’Why did he not make another will, if he wished it so much?’
’Upon my word,’ said Philip angrily, ’I would give up my share readily to have Uncle Jeremiah back, and know the rights of the matter of the will.’ He stood looking at his aunt with eyes that were full of anger, and the arteries in his temples dark and swollen. ’I shall take care,’ he said, ’that she is not defrauded of what is her due.’