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her； too。 No letters； no information。 Perhaps my father would
kindly enlighten her？ Was the affair going on？ or was it broken
off？
My father held out his plate and asked for the other wing of the
fowl。 〃It isn't a bad one for London；〃 he said； 〃won't you have
some yourself？〃
〃I don't seem to have interested you；〃 Mrs。 Staveley remarked。
〃What did you expect me to be interested in？〃 my father inquired。
〃I was absorbed in the fowl。 Favor me by returning to the
subject。〃
Mrs。 Staveley admits that she answered this rather sharply： 〃The
subject； sir； was your son's admiration for a charming girl： one
of the daughters of Mr。 Gracedieu； the famous preacher。〃
My father is too well…bred to speak to a lady while his attention
is absorbed by a fowl。 He finished the second wing； and then he
asked if 〃Philip was engaged to be married。〃
〃I am not quite sure；〃 Mrs。 Staveley confessed。
〃Then； my dear friend； we will wait till we _are_ sure。〃
〃But； Mr。 Dunboyne； there is really no need to wait。 I suppose
your son comes here； now and then； to see you？〃
〃My son is most attentive。 In course of time he will contrive to
hit on the right hour for his visit。 At present； poor fellow； he
interrupts me every day。〃
〃Suppose he hits upon the right time to…morrow？〃
〃Yes？〃
〃You might ask him if he is engaged？〃
〃Pardon me。 I think I might wait till Philip mentions it without
asking。〃
〃What an extraordinary man you are！〃
〃Oh； no； noonly a philosopher。〃
This tried Mrs。 Staveley's temper。 You know what a perfectly
candid person our friend is。 She owned to me that she felt
inclined to make herself disagreeable。 〃That's thrown away upon
me；〃 she said： 〃I don't know what a philosopher is。〃
Let me pause for a moment； dear Helena。 I have inexcusably
forgotten to speak of my father's personal appearance。 It won't
take long。 I need only notice one interesting feature which； so
to speak； lifts his face out of the common。 He has an eloquent
nose。 Persons possessing this rare advantage are blest with
powers of expression not granted to their ordinary
fellow…creatures。 My father's nose is a mine of information to
friends familiarly acquainted with it。 It changes color like a
modest young lady's cheek。 It works flexibly from side to side
like the rudder of a ship。 On the present occasion； Mrs。 Staveley
saw it shift toward the left…hand side of his face。 A sigh
escaped the poor lady。 Experience told her that my father was
going to hold forth。
〃You don't know what a philosopher is！〃 he repeated。 〃Be so kind
as to look at Me。 I am a philosopher。〃
Mrs。 Staveley bowed。
〃And a philosopher； my charming friend； is a man who has
discovered a system of life。 Some systems assert themselves in
volumesmy system asserts itself in two words： Never think of
anything until you have first asked yourself if there is an
absolute necessity for doing it； at that particular moment。
Thinking of things； when things needn't be thought of； is
offering an opportunity to Worry； and Worry is the favorite agent
of Death when the destroyer handles his work in a lingering way；
and achieves premature results。 Never look back； and never look
forward； as long as you can possibly help it。 Looking back leads
the way to sorrow。 And looking forward ends in the cruelest of
all delusions： it encourages hope。 The present time is the
precious time。 Live for the passing day： the passing day is all
that we can be sure of。 You suggested； just now； that I should
ask my son if he was engaged to be married。 How do we know what
wear and tear of your nervous texture I succeeded in saving when
I said。 'Wait till Philip mentions it without asking？' There is
the personal application of my system。 I have explained it in my
time to every woman on the list of my acquaintance； including the
female servants。 Not one of them has rewarded me by adopting my
system。 How do you feel about it？〃
Mrs。 Staveley declined to tell me whether she had offered a
bright example of gratitude to the rest of the sex。 When I asked
why； she declared that it was my turn now to tell her what I had
been doing。
You will anticipate what followed。 She objected to the mystery in
which my prospects seemed to be involved。 In plain English； was
I； or was I not； engaged to marry her dear Eunice？ I said； No。
What else could I say？ If I had told Mrs。 Staveley the truth；
when she insisted on my explaining myself； she would have gone
back to my father； and would have appealed to his sense of
justice to forbid our marriage。 Finding me obstinately silent；
she has decided on writing to Eunice。 So we parted。 But don't be
disheartened。 On my way out of the house； I met Mr。 Staveley
coming in； and had a little talk with him。 He and his wife and
his family are going to the seaside； next week。 Mrs。 Staveley
once out of our way； I can tell my father of our engagement
without any fear of consequences。 If she writes to him； the
moment he sees my name mentioned； and finds violent language
associated with it； he will hand the letter to me。 〃Your
business； Philip： don't interrupt me。〃 He will say that； and go
back to his books。 There is my father； painted to the life！
Farewell； for the present。
。 。 。 。 。 。 。
Remarks by H。 G。Philip's grace and gayety of style might be
envied by any professional Author。 He amuses me； but he rouses my
suspicion at the same time。 This slippery lover of mine tells me
to defer writing to his father； and gives no reason for offering
that strange advice to the young lady who is soon to be a member
of the family。 Is this merely one more instance of the weakness
of his character？ Or； now that he is away from my influence； is
he beginning to regret Eunice already？
Added by the Governor。I too have my doubts。 Is the flippant
nonsense which Philip has written inspired by the effervescent
good spirits of a happy young man？ Or is it assumed for a
purpose？ In this latter case； I should gladly conclude that he
was regarding his conduct to Eunice with becoming emotions of
sorrow and shame。
CHAPTER XLIII。
THE MASTERFUL MASSEUSE。
My next quotations will suffer a process of abridgment。 I intend
them to present the substance of three letters； reduced as
follows：
Second Extract。
Weak as he may be； Mr。 Philip Dunboyne shows （in his second
letter） that he can feel resentment； and that he can express his
feelings； in replying to Miss Helena。 He protests against
suspicions which he has not deserved。 That he does sometimes
think of Eunice he sees no reason to deny。 He is conscious of
errors and misdeeds； whichtraceable as they are to Helena's
irresistible fascinationsmay perhaps be considered rather his
misfortune than his fault。 Be that as it may； he does indeed feel
anxious to hear good accounts of Eunice's health。 If this honest
avowal excites her sister's jealousy； he will be disappointed in
Helena for the first time。
His third letter shows that this exhibition of spirit has had its
effect。
The imperious young lady regrets that she has hurt his feelings；
and is rewarded for the apology by receiving news of the most
gratifying kind。 Faithful Philip has told his father that he is
e