Once in Parliament, and known to Ministers, you--your career is open to you.' In justice to Mr.Evan Harrington, it must be said, he built up this extraordinary card-castle to dazzle his mother's mind: he had lost his right grasp of her character for the moment, because of an undefined suspicion of something she intended, and which sent him himself to take refuge in those flimsy structures; while the very altitude he reached beguiled his imagination, and made him hope to impress hers.
Mrs.Mel dealt it one fillip.

'And in the meantime how are you to live, and pay the creditors ?' Though Evan answered cheerfully, 'Oh, they will wait, and I can live on anything,' he was nevertheless floundering on the ground amid the ruins of the superb edifice; and his mother, upright and rigid, continuing, 'You can live on anything, and they will wait, and call your father a rogue,' he started, grievously bitten by one of the serpents of earth.
'Good heaven, mother! what are you saying ?' 'That they will call your father a rogue, and will have a right to,' said the relentless woman.
'Not while I live!' Evan exclaimed.
'You may stop one mouth with your fist, but you won't stop a dozen, Van.' Evan jumped up and walked the room.
'What am I to do ?' he cried.

'I will pay everything.

I will bind myself to pay every farthing.

What more can I possibly do ?' 'Make the money,' said Mrs.Mel's deep voice.
Evan faced her: 'My dear mother, you are very unjust and inconsiderate.
I have been working and doing my best.