"One newly come in - wounded," I replied.
"Then you know him yet, I suppose. It is that fellow Thorold, isn't it?"
"I am glad of it!" said Preston, savagely. "Why shouldn't he be wounded, when his betters are? Is he badly off?"
"You don't know! when you were attending to him. Then he hasn't lost a leg or an arm, I suppose? You would know that."
"D-n him!" said Preston. "That _he_ should be whole and sound and only half of me left!"
I was dumb, for want of the power to speak. I think such a passion of indignation and displeasure never found place in my heart, before or since. But I did not wish to say anything angrily, and yet my heart was full of violent feeling that could find but violent words. I fed Preston in silence till his dinner was done, and left him. Then as I passed near him again soon after, I stopped.
"You are so far from sound, Preston," I said, "that I shall keep out of the way of your words. You must excuse me - but I cannot hear or allow them; and as you have no control over yourself, my only resource is to keep at a distance."
I waited for no answer but moved away; and busied myself with all the ward rather than him. It was a hard, hard, afternoon's work; my heart divided between the temptation to violent anger and violent tears. I kept away from Mr. Thorold too, partly from policy, and partly because I could not command myself, I was afraid, in his presence. But towards evening I found myself by his side, and in the dusk our hands met; while I used a fan with the other hand, by way of seeming to do something for him.
"There is enough the matter here always, Christian."
"Yes. And what more than usual this afternoon?"
"I saw that you were hiding something, from everybody but me. Tell it now."
"Confess your faults one to another, then," said he. "What is the use of having friends?"
"You would not be pleased to hear of my faults."
I could see, even in the dim light, the flash of his eye as it looked into mine.
"Anger," I said; - "and resentment; and - self-will."
"What raised the anger?" said he; a different tone coming into his own voice.
And I thought I should have broken down at that minute. My fan-play ceased. Christian held my hand very fast, and after a few minutes began again -