Well, my nature is frankness, and I will plead guilty
to a certain procrastination. I meant to send you the money; I fully
meant to do so. But in the first place, it took much longer than I
expected to realise the good old man's estate, and when at length
the money came into my hands, I delayed and delayed--just as one
does, you know; let us admit these human weaknesses. And I
procrastinated till I was really ashamed--you follow the
psychology of the thing? Then I said to myself: Now it is pretty
certain Piers is not in actual want of this sum, or he would have
pressed for it. On the other hand, a day may come when he will
really be glad to remember that I am his banker for a hundred and
fifty pounds. Yes--I said--I will wait till that moment comes; I
will save the money for him, as becomes his elder brother. Piers is
a good fellow, and will understand. _Voila_!"
Piers kept silence.
"Tell me, my dear boy," pursued the other. "Alexander of course paid
that little sum he owed you?"
"He too has preferred to remain my banker."
"Now I call that very shameful!" burst out Daniel. "No, that's too
bad!"
"How did you know he owed me money?" inquired Piers.
"How? Why, he told me himself, down at Hawes, after you went. We
were talking of you, of your admirable qualities, and in his bluff,
genial way he threw out how generously you had behaved to him, at a
moment when he was hard up.
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