ARTHUR
67

I was thrown, by these thoughts, into considerable confusion. If his statement is true, his claim to the money is proven; but I question the truth. Raising my doubts about the truth will incite hatred and anger.

His last insinuation was very important. Suppose he was the owner of this money fraud: was I justified in taking it by force under the pretext of returning it to the original owner, who, for whatever I knew, might have been dead, or with whom, at least, he said, maybe I will never have a meeting? But will my conduct on this occasion not be considered forbidden? I entered the Welbeck residence at midnight, went to his closet, owned a portable property, and retired unattended. Can't guilt count for this kind of action?

Welbeck waited impatiently for the conclusion of my break. My confusion and hesitation did not subside, and my silence continued. Finally, he repeated his demands, with a new spirit. I had to answer. I told him, in a few words, that his reasons did not convince me of the equality of his claims, and that my resolve had not changed.

He did not expect this inflexibility from someone in my situation. The folly of opposition, when my weakness and loneliness were contrasted with its activity and resources, seemed to him terrible and conspicuous; but his disgust turns to anger and fear as he contemplates that this folly will eventually defeat his hopes. He may have decided to earn money, letting the purchase cost what would happen, but was willing to spend passive means before he had to use force. He may also question whether the money is within his reach. I had told him that I had it, but whether it was about me now was somewhat dubious; however, although he did not use the direct question, he chose to proceed with the presumption that it was imminent. His angry tone now turned into protest and persuasion:

"Your current person, Mervyn, does not justify the expectations I have set about you. You've been guilty of basic theft. For this you have added a deeper evil than ungrateful, but your madness and stupidity are, at least, as conspicuous as your fault. Do you think I can appreciate your assertion that you saved this money for another, when I remember that six weeks have passed since you took it away? Why don't you find the owner and return him to him? If your intention If you were honest, would you have suffered so long to pass without doing this? It is clear that you are designed to keep it for your own use.

" But, whether this is your goal or not, you have no more power to restore or maintain it. You said that you came here to die. If so, what is the fate of the money? In your current situation, you can't get access to that woman. Some people have to inherit this wealth. Next to Signora Lodi, whose rights can be rivaled by mine? But, if you are unwilling to give it to me on my own account, let it be given with trust for him. Let me endure it myself. I've shown you that my claim, as his guardian, is legitimate and undeniable, but this claim I'm releasing. I'll just be the executor of your will . I'll bind myself to obey your directives by any oath, however solemn and great, that you must set."

As long as my own heart set me free, these accusations of dishonesty only affected me a little. They did not cause anger, for they were of ignorance, and were considered reasonable to Welbeck by facts as he knew them. There is no need to refute the allegations with complicated and indirect details.

Promises are easy to give, but certainly not to reveal. Welbeck's own story, in which it is inconceivable that he has exacerbated his shortcomings, proves the weakness of his virtue. To give into his hands a sum of money like this, in the hope that he sends it to someone else, when death I will cover the transaction with impenetrable secrecy, he said, it would indeed be evidence of insanity that he thought was worthy of reckoning with me.

These thoughts influenced my resolution, but they revolved in silence. To express it verbally is useless. They will not justify my behavior in his eyes. They will only aggravate the dispute, and encourage it to commit acts of violence that I want to prevent. The sooner this controversy ends, and I am in any measure exempt from its corporate impediments, the better.

"Mr Welbeck," I said, "my attention to your safety compels me to hope that this interview is terminated. At different times, I shouldn't want to discuss this issue. Now this will be for nothing. My conscience showed me too clearly the path I had to take for me to misinterpret it. As long as I have power over this money, I will keep it for use by the poor woman I see in this house. I'll exert myself to find him; but, if that's not possible, I'll take it in a way where you won't have participation."

I will not repeat the successful contest between my patience and his passion. I listened to his commands of anger and greed in silence. The astonishment at my inflexibility mixed with his anger. In turns he commented on the mistakes and stupidity of my resolutions.

Sometimes his emotions peaked into anger, and he would approach me in a threatening manner, and raise his hand as if he was going to annihilate me with a single blow. My eyes were lethargic, my cheeks were shining and my temples were throbbing with fever, and my total passivity, attracting his attention and holding back his stroke. Compassion will replace anger, and conviction is revived that rebuttal and argument will answer its purpose.

This scene lasted for how long. Welbeck's passion and reason unconsciously took on a new form. Sadness, mixed with confusion, spread across his face. He stopped arguing or talking. His greetings were drawn from me, which hitherto had been set; and, wandering or empty, witnessed a terrible conflict of mind beyond anything my young imagination had ever imagined.