But instinctively Aldous felt that his grandfather's mood had grown gentler--his own task easier.

He seized on the moment at once.
"In the whole business," he said, half smiling, "there is only one thing clear, grandfather, and that is, that, if you will, you can do me a great service with Miss Boyce." Lord Maxwell turned quickly and was all sharp attention, the keen commanding eyes under their fine brows absorbing, as it were, expression and life from the rest of the blanched and wrinkled face.
"You could, if you would, make matters easy for her and her mother in the county," said Aldous, anxious to carry it off lightly.

"You could, if you would, without committing yourself to any personal contact with Boyce himself, make it possible for me to bring her here, so that you and my aunt might see her and judge." The old man's expression darkened.
"What, take back that note, Aldous! I never wrote anything with greater satisfaction in my life!" "Well,--more or less," said Aldous, quietly.

"A very little would do it.
A man in Richard Boyce's position will naturally not claim very much--will take what he can get." "And you mean besides," said his grandfather, interrupting him, "that I must send your aunt to call ?" "It will hardly be possible to ask Miss Boyce here unless she does!" said Aldous.
"And you reckon that I am not likely to go to Mellor, even to see her?
And you want me to say a word to other people--to the Winterbournes and the Levens, for instance ?" "Precisely," said Aldous.
Lord Maxwell meditated; then rose.
"Let me now appease the memory of Clarke by going to bed!" (Clarke was his lordship's medical attendant and autocrat.) "I must sleep upon this, Aldous." "I only hope I shall not have tired you out." Aldous moved to extinguish a lamp standing on a table near.
Suddenly his grandfather called him.
"Aldous!" "Yes." But, as no words followed, Aldous turned.

He saw his grandfather standing erect before the fire, and was startled by the emotion he instantly perceived in eye and mouth.
"You understand, Aldous, that for twenty years--it is twenty years last month since your father died--you have been the blessing of my life?
Oh! don't say anything, my boy; I don't want any more agitation.