Even Crayston,
with all his penitence and appearance of candor, had to be questioned
closely by Mr. Henry before he would tell the whole truth. Good God! that
money should have such power to corrupt men. It was all for money, and
money's worth, that this degradation has taken place. As for Mr. Henry, to
save his client money, and to protect money, he does not care--he does
not even perceive--how he induces deterioration of character. He has
been encouraging my father in measures which I cannot call anything but
vindictive. Crayston is to be made an example of, they say. As if my father
had not half the sin on his own head! As if he had rightly discharged his
duties as a rich man! Money was as dross to him; but he ought to have
remembered how it might be as life itself to many, and be craved after, and
coveted, till the black longing got the better of principle, as it has done
with this poor Crayston. They say the man was once so truthful, and now his
self-respect is gone; and he has evidently lost the very nature of truth. I
dread riches. I dread the responsibility of them. At any rate, I wish I had
begun life as a poor boy, and worked my way up to competence. Then I could
understand and remember the temptations of poverty. I am afraid of my
own heart becoming hardened as my father's is. You have no notion of his
passionate severity to-day, Maggie! It was quite a new thing even to me!"
"It will only be for a short time," said she.
Pages:
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102