He told Charles Bellingham that he liked him, and assured James Bellingham that it had always been his ambition to know him, and that if any one had said when he first came to Boston that in less than ten years he should be hobnobbing with Jim Bellingham, he should have told that person he lied.He would have told anybody he lied that had told him ten years ago that a son of Bromfield Corey would have come and asked him to take him into the business.Ten years ago he, Silas Lapham, had come to Boston a little worse off than nothing at all, for he was in debt for half the money that he had bought out his partner with, and here he was now worth a million, and meeting you gentlemen like one of you.And every cent of that was honest money,--no speculation,--every copper of it for value received.And here, only the other day, his old partner, who had been going to the dogs ever since he went out of the business, came and borrowed twenty thousand dollars of him! Lapham lent it because his wife wanted him to: she had always felt bad about the fellow's having to go out of the business.
He took leave of Mr.Sewell with patronising affection, and bade him come to him if he ever got into a tight place with his parish work; he would let him have all the money he wanted; he had more money than he knew what to do with.
"Why, when your wife sent to mine last fall," he said, turning to Mr.Corey, "I drew my cheque for five hundred dollars, but my wife wouldn't take more than one hundred;said she wasn't going to show off before Mrs.Corey.
I call that a pretty good joke on Mrs.Corey.I must tell her how Mrs.Lapham done her out of a cool four hundred dollars."He started toward the door of the drawing-room to take leave of the ladies; but Tom Corey was at his elbow, saying, "I think Mrs.Lapham is waiting for you below, sir," and in obeying the direction Corey gave him toward another door he forgot all about his purpose, and came away without saying good-night to his hostess.
Mrs.Lapham had not known how soon she ought to go, and had no idea that in her quality of chief guest she was keeping the others.She stayed till eleven o'clock, and was a little frightened when she found what time it was;but Mrs.Corey, without pressing her to stay longer, had said it was not at all late.She and Irene had had a perfect time.Everybody had been very polite, on the way home they celebrated the amiability of both the Miss Coreys and of Miss Kingsbury.Mrs.Lapham thought that Mrs.Bellingham was about the pleasantest person she ever saw; she had told her all about her married daughter who had married an inventor and gone to live in Omaha--a Mrs.Blake.
"If it's that car-wheel Blake," said Lapham proudly, "I know all about him.I've sold him tons of the paint.""Pooh, papa! How you do smell of smoking!" cried Irene.
"Pretty strong, eh?" laughed Lapham, letting down a window of the carriage.His heart was throbbing wildly in the close air, and he was glad of the rush of cold that came in, though it stopped his tongue, and he listened more and more drowsily to the rejoicings that his wife and daughter exchanged.He meant to have them wake Penelope up and tell her what she had lost;but when he reached home he was too sleepy to suggest it.
He fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow, full of supreme triumph.
But in the morning his skull was sore with the unconscious, night-long ache; and he rose cross and taciturn.
They had a silent breakfast.In the cold grey light of the morning the glories of the night before showed poorer.
Here and there a painful doubt obtruded itself and marred them with its awkward shadow.Penelope sent down word that she was not well, and was not coming to breakfast, and Lapham was glad to go to his office without seeing her.
He was severe and silent all day with his clerks, and peremptory with customers.Of Corey he was slyly observant, and as the day wore away he grew more restively conscious.
He sent out word by his office-boy that he would like to see Mr.Corey for a few minutes after closing.
The type-writer girl had lingered too, as if she wished to speak with him, and Corey stood in abeyance as she went toward Lapham's door.
"Can't see you to-night, Zerrilla," he said bluffly, but not unkindly."Perhaps I'll call at the house, if it's important.""It is," said the girl, with a spoiled air of insistence.
"Well," said Lapham, and, nodding to Corey to enter, he closed the door upon her.Then he turned to the young, man and demanded: "Was I drunk last night?"
