So side by side they turned the corner of the house, and paced up and down the broad quiet walk under the windows.
"We must leave this immediately, Guy, Sir Jekyl is ill--more seriously I believe, than they fancy; not dangerously, but still a tedious thing. They call it gout, but I believe there is something more."
"Indeed! How sudden!" exclaimed Guy. And to do him justice, he seemed both shocked and sad, although perhaps all his sorrow was not on Sir Jekyl's account.
"And I'll be frank with you, Guy," continued Varbarriere. "I think I can see plainly, maybe, what has drawn you here. It is not I--it is not business--it is not Sir Jekyl. Who or what can it be?"
"I--I thought, sir, my letter had explained."
"And I am going away in the morning--and some of the party probably to-day; for there's no chance of Sir Jekyl's coming down for some time," continued Varbarriere, not seeming to hear Guy's interruptions.
"_Very_ sorry!" said Guy, sincerely, and his eyes glanced along the empty windows.
"And so, you see, this visit here leads pretty much to nothing," continued Varbarriere. "And it might be best to keep that carriage for a few minutes--eh?--and get into it, and drive back again to Slowton."
"Immediately--yes. I'll join you there in the morning, and we can talk over your plans then. I do not know exactly--we must consider. I don't want to part in unkindness. I wish to give you a lift, Guy, if you'll let me." So said Varbarriere in his off-hand way.
"And see, nephew; there's a thing--_attend_, if you please," said Varbarriere, lowering his voice.
"See--you answer upon your honour--do you hear?"
"I do, sir. You hear nothing but truth from me."
"Well, yes--very good. Is there--have you any correspondence in this house?" demanded the ponderous uncle, and his full dark eyes turned suddenly on the young man.
"There must be no nonsense of that kind, Guy--I've told you so before--put it quite out of your head. You need not speak--I am merely discussing a hypothesis--quite out of your head. Nothing could ever come of it but annoyance. You know, of course, to whom all this relates; and I tell you it can't be. There are reasons you shall hear elsewhere, which are final."
What Guy might have answered does not appear, for at that moment old Doocey joined them.