'A wild evening, Miss Landless! Do you not find your usual walk
with your brother too exposed and cold for the time of year? Or at
all events, when the sun is down, and the weather is driving in
from the sea?'
Helena thought not. It was their favourite walk. It was very
retired.
'It is very retired,' assented Mr. Crisparkle, laying hold of his
opportunity straightway, and walking on with them. 'It is a place
of all others where one can speak without interruption, as I wish
to do. Mr. Neville, I believe you tell your sister everything that
passes between us?'
'Everything, sir.'
'Consequently,' said Mr. Crisparkle, 'your sister is aware that I
have repeatedly urged you to make some kind of apology for that
unfortunate occurrence which befell on the night of your arrival
here.' In saying it he looked to her, and not to him; therefore it
was she, and not he, who replied:
'Yes.'
'I call it unfortunate, Miss Helena,' resumed Mr. Crisparkle,
'forasmuch as it certainly has engendered a prejudice against
Neville. There is a notion about, that he is a dangerously
passionate fellow, of an uncontrollable and furious temper: he is
really avoided as such.'
'I have no doubt he is, poor fellow,' said Helena, with a look of
proud compassion at her brother, expressing a deep sense of his
being ungenerously treated. 'I should be quite sure of it, from
your saying so; but what you tell me is confirmed by suppressed
hints and references that I meet with every day.
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