第12章
Valuablerowsofbookslookeddownupontheplaceoftorture；
andIcouldhearsparrowschirpinginthegarden，andmysprightlycousinalreadybangingthepianoandpouringforthanacidstreamofsongfromthedrawing-roomoverhead。
Itwasinthesecircumstancesthat，withallbrevityofspeechandacertainboyishsullennessofmanner，lookingthewhileuponthefloor，Iinformedmyrelativesofmyfinancialsituation：theamountIowedPinkerton；thehopelessnessofanymaintenancefromsculpture；thecareerofferedmeintheStates；andhow，beforebecomingmorebeholdentoastranger，Ihadjudgeditrighttolaythecasebeforemyfamily。
“Iamonlysorryyoudidnotcometomeatfirst。”saidUncleAdam。“Itakethelibertytosayitwouldhavebeenmoredecent。”
“Ithinksotoo，UncleAdam。”Ireplied；“butyoumustbearinmindIwasignorantinwhatlightyoumightregardmyapplication。”
“IhopeIwouldneverturnmybackonmyownfleshandblood。”hereturnedwithemphasis；buttomyanxiousear，withmoreoftemperthanaffection。“Icouldneverforgetyouweremysister’sson。Iregardthisasamanifestduty。Ihavenochoicebuttoaccepttheentireresponsibilityofthepositionyouhavemade。”
Ididnotknowwhatelsetodobutmurmur“thankyou。”
“Yes。”hepursued，“andthereissomethingprovidentialinthecircumstancethatyoucomeattherighttime。Inmyoldfirmthereisavacancy；theycallthemselvesItalianWarehousemennow。”hecontinued，regardingmewithatwinkleofhumour；
“soyoumaythinkyourselfinluck：wewereonlygrocersinmyday。Ishallplaceyouthereto-morrow。”
“Stopamoment，UncleAdam。”Ibrokein。“ThisisnotatallwhatIamasking。IaskyoutopayPinkerton，whoisapoorman。Iaskyoutoclearmyfeetofdebt，nottoarrangemylifeoranypartofit。”
“IfIwishedtobeharsh，Imightremindyouthatbeggarscannotbechoosers。”saidmyuncle；“andastomanagingyourlife，youhavetriedyourownwayalready，andyouseewhatyouhavemadeofit。Youmustnowaccepttheguidanceofthoseolderand(whateveryoumaythinkofit)wiserthanyourself。Alltheseschemesofyourfriend(ofwhomIknownothing，bytheby)andtalkofopeningsintheWest，Isimplydisregard。Ihavenoideawhateverofyourgoingtrokingacrossacontinentonawild-goosechase。Inthissituation，whichI
amfortunatelyabletoplaceatyourdisposal，andwhichmanyawell-conductedyoungmanwouldbegladtojumpat，youwillreceive，tobeginwith，eighteenshillingsaweek。”
“Eighteenshillingsaweek！”Icried。“Why，mypoorfriendgavememorethanthatfornothing！”
“AndIthinkitisthisveryfriendyouarenowtryingtorepay？”
observedmyuncle，withanairofoneadvancingastrongargument。
“Aadam！”saidmygrandfather。
“I’mvexedyoushouldbepresentatthisbusiness。”quothUncleAdam，swingingratherobsequiouslytowardsthestonemason；
“butImustremindyouitisofyourownseeking。”
“Aadam！”repeatedtheoldman。
“Well，sir，Iamlistening。”saysmyuncle。
Mygrandfathertookapuffortwoinsilence；andthen，“Ye’remakin’anawfu’poorappearance，Aadam。”saidhe。
Myunclevisiblyrearedattheaffront。“I’msorryyoushouldthinkso。”saidhe，“andstillmoresorryyoushouldsaysobeforepresentcompany。”
“Abelievethat；Akenthat，Aadam。”returnedoldLoudon，dryly；“andthecuriisthingis，I’mnoverycarin’。Seehere，maman。”hecontinued，addressinghimselftome。“A’myourgrandfaither，amn’tInot？NeveryoumindwhatAadamsays。
A’llseejusticedinye。A’mrich。”
“Father。”saidUncleAdam，“Iwouldlikeonewordwithyouinprivate。”
Irosetogo。
“Setdownuponyourhinderlands。”criedmygrandfather，almostsavagely。“IfAadamhasanythingtosay，lethimsayit。
It’smethathasthemoneyhere；andbyGravy！I’mgoin’tobeobeyed。”
Uponthisscurvyencouragement，itappearedthatmyunclehadnoremarktooffer：twicechallengedto“speakoutandbedonewithit。”hetwicesullenlydeclined；andImaymentionthataboutthisperiodoftheengagement，Ibegantobesorryforhim。
“Seehere，then，Jeannie’syin！”resumedmygrandfather。“A’mgoin’togiveyeaset-off。Yourmitherwasalwaysmyfav’rite，forAnevercouldagreewithAadam。Alikeyefineyoursel’；
there’snaenoansenseabootye；ye’veafinenayteralideeofbuilder’swork；ye’vebeentoFrance，wheretheytellmethey’regrandatthestuccy。Asplendidthingforceilin’s，thestuccy！
andit’savailyabledisguise，too；Adon’tbelievethere’sabuilderinScotlandhasusedmorestuccythanme。ButasA
wassayin’，ifye’llfolliethattrade，withthecapitalthatA’mgoin’togiveye，yemayliveyettobeasrichasmysel’。Yesee，yewouldhavealwayshadashareofitwhenAwasgone；itappearsye’reneedin’itnow；well，ye’llgettheless，asisonlyjustandproper。”
UncleAdamclearedhisthroat。“Thisisveryhandsome，father。”saidhe；“andIamsureLoudonfeelsitso。Veryhandsome，andasyousay，veryjust；butwillyouallowmetosaythatithadbetter，perhaps，beputinblackandwhite？”
Theenmityalwayssmoulderingbetweenthetwomenatthisill-judgedinterruptionalmostburstinflame。Thestonemasonturneduponhisoffspring，hislongupperlippulleddown，foralltheworld，likeamonkey’s。Hestaredawhileinvirulentsilence；andthen“GetGregg！”saidhe。
Theeffectofthesewordswasveryvisible。“Hewillbegonetohisoffice。”stammeredmyuncle。
“GetGregg！”repeatedmygrandfather。
“Itellyou，hewillbegonetohisoffice。”reiteratedAdam。
“AndItellye，he’stakin’hissmoke。”retortedtheoldman。
“Verywell，then。”criedmyuncle，gettingtohisfeetwithsomealacrity，asuponasuddenchangeofthought，“Iwillgethimmyself。”
“Yewillnot！”criedmygrandfather。“Yewillsitthereuponyourhinderland。”
“ThenhowthedevilamItogethim？”myunclebrokeforth，withnotunnaturalpetulance。
Mygrandfather(havingnopossibleanswer)grinnedathissonwiththemaliceofaschoolboy；thenherangthebell。
“Takethegardenkey。”saidUncleAdamtotheservant；“goovertothegarden，andifMr。Greggthelawyeristhere(hegenerallysitsundertheredhawthorn)，givehimoldMr。
Loudon’scompliments，andwillhestepinhereforamoment？”
“Mr。Greggthelawyer！”AtonceIunderstood(whathadbeenpuzzlingme)thesignificanceofmygrandfatherandthealarmofmypooruncle：thestonemason’swill，itwassupposed，hungtremblinginthebalance。
“Lookhere，grandfather。”Isaid，“Ididn’twantanyofthis。AllIwantedwasaloanof(say)twohundredpounds。Icantakecareofmyself；Ihaveprospectsandopportunities，goodfriendsintheStates——“
Theoldmanwavedmedown。“It’smethatspeakshere。”hesaidcurtly；andwewaitedthecomingofthelawyerinatriplesilence。Heappearedatlast，themaidusheringhimin——aspectacled，dry，butnotungeniallookingman。
“Here，Gregg。”criedmygrandfather。“Justaquestion：WhathasAadamgottodowithmywill？”
“I’mafraidIdon’tquiteunderstand。”saidthelawyer，staring。
“Whathashegottodowithit？”repeatedtheoldman，smitingwithhisfistuponthearmofhischair。“Ismymoneymine’s，orisitAadam’s？CanAadaminterfere？”
“O，Isee。”saidMr。Gregg。“Certainlynot。Onthemarriageofbothofyourchildrenacertainsumwaspaiddownandacceptedinfulloflegitim。Youhavesurelynotforgottenthecircumstance，Mr。Loudon？”
“Sothat，ifIlike。”concludedmygrandfather，hammeringouthiswords，“IcanleaveeverydoitIdiepossessedoftotheGreatMagunn？”——meaningprobablytheGreatMogul。
“Nodoubtofit。”repliedGregg，withashadowofasmile。
“Yehearthat，Aadam？”askedmygrandfather。
“ImaybeallowedtosayIhadnoneedtohearit。”saidmyuncle。
“Verywell。”saysmygrandfather。“YouandJeannie’syincangoforabitwalk。MeandGregghasbusiness。”
WhenonceIwasinthehallalonewithUncleAdam，Iturnedtohim，sickatheart。“UncleAdam。”Isaid，“youcanunderstand，betterthanIcansay，howverypainfulallthisistome。”
“Yes，Iamsorryyouhaveseenyourgrandfatherinsounamiablealight。”repliedthisextraordinaryman。“Youshouldn’tallowittoaffectyourmindthough。Hehassterlingqualities，quiteanextraordinarycharacter；andIhavenofearbuthemeanstobehavehandsomelytoyou。”
Hiscomposurewasbeyondmyimitation：thehousecouldnotcontainme，norcouldIevenpromisetoreturntoit：inconcessiontowhichweakness，itwasagreedthatIshouldcallinaboutanhourattheofficeofthelawyer，whom(asheleftthelibrary)UncleAdamshouldwaylayandinformofthearrangement。Isupposetherewasneveramoretopsy-turvysituation：youwouldhavethoughtitwasIwhohadsufferedsomerebuff，andthatiron-sidedAdamwasagenerousconquerorwhoscornedtotakeadvantage。
ItwasplainenoughthatIwastobeendowed：towhatextentanduponwhatconditionsIwasnowleftforanhourtomeditateinthewideandsolitarythoroughfaresofthenewtown，takingcounselwithstreet-cornerstatuesofGeorgeIV。
andWilliamPitt，improvingmymindwiththepicturesinthewindowofamusic-shop，andrenewingmyacquaintancewithEdinburgheastwind。BytheendofthehourImademywaytoMr。Gregg’soffice，whereIwasplaced，withafewappropriatewords，inpossessionofachequefortwothousandpoundsandasmallparcelofarchitecturalworks。
“Mr。Loudonbidsmeadd。”continuedthelawyer，consultingalittlesheetofnotes，“thatalthoughthesevolumesareveryvaluabletothepracticalbuilder，youmustbecarefulnottoloseoriginality。Hetellsyoualsonottobe’haddendoun’——hisownexpression——bythetheoryofstrains，andthatPortlandcement，properlysanded，willgoalongway。”
Ismiled，andremarkedthatIsupposeditwould。
“Ioncelivedinoneofmyexcellentclient’shouses。”observedthelawyer；“andIwastempted，inthatcase，tothinkithadgonefarenough。”
“Underthesecircumstances，sir。”saidI，“youwillberatherrelievedtohearthatIhavenointentionofbecomingabuilder。”
Atthis，hefairlylaughed；and，theicebeingbroken，Iwasabletoconsulthimastomyconduct。HeinsistedImustreturntothehouse，atleast，forluncheon，andoneofmywalkswithMr。
Loudon。“Fortheevening，Iwillfurnishyouwithanexcuse，ifyouplease。”saidhe，“byaskingyoutoabachelordinnerwithmyself。Buttheluncheonandthewalkareunavoidable。Heisanoldman，and，Ibelieve，reallyfondofyou；hewouldnaturallyfeelaggrievediftherewereanyappearanceofavoidinghim；andasforMr。Adam，doyouknow，Ithinkyourdelicacyoutofplace。Andnow，Mr。Dodd，whatareyoutodowiththismoney？”
Ay，therewasthequestion。Withtwothousandpounds——fiftythousandfrancs——ImightreturntoParisandthearts，andbeaprinceandmillionaireinthatthriftyLatinQuarter。IthinkI
hadthegrace，withonecornerofmymind，tobegladthatIhadsenttheLondonletter：Iknowverywellthatwiththerestandworstofme，Irepentedbitterlyofthatprecipitateact。Ononepoint，however，mywholemultiplexestateofmanwasunanimous：theletterbeinggone，therewasnohelpbutImustfollow。Themoneywasaccordinglydividedintwounequalshares：forthefirst，Mr。GregggotmeabillinthenameofDijontomeetmyliabilitiesinParis；forthesecond，asIhadalreadycashinhandfortheexpensesofmyjourney，hesuppliedmewithdraftsonSanFrancisco。
TherestofmybusinessinEdinburgh，nottodwellonaveryagreeabledinnerwiththelawyerorthehorrorsofthefamilyluncheon，tooktheformofanexcursionwiththestonemason，wholedmethistimetonosuburborworkofhisoldhands，butwithanimpulsebothnaturalandpretty，tothatmoreenduringhomewhichhehadchosenforhisclay。Itwasinacemetery，bysomestrangechance，immuredwithinthebulwarksofaprison；standing，besides，onthemarginofacliff，crowdedwithelderlystonememorials，andgreenwithturfandivy。Theeastwind(whichIthoughttooharshfortheoldman)
continuallyshooktheboughs，andthethinsunofaScottishsummerdrewtheirdancingshadows。