But it was the Duke who made the greatest efforts, and with the
least success. He had told himself again and again that he was
bound be every sense of duty to swallow all regrets. He had taken
himself to task on this matter. He had done so even out loud to
his son. He had declared that he would 'let it all pass from' him.
But who does not know how hard it is for a man in such matters to
keep his word to himself? Who has not said to himself at the very
moment of his own delinquency, 'Now,--it is now,--at this very
instant of time, that I should abate my greed, or smother my ill-
humour, or abandon my hatred. It is now, and here, that I should
drive out the fiend, as I have sworn to myself that I would do.'--
and yet has failed?
That it would be done, would be done at last, by this man was very
certain. When Silverbridge assured his sister that 'it would all
come right very soon,' he had understood his father's character.
But it could not be completed quite at once. Had he been required
to take Isabel only to his heart, it would have been comparatively
easy.
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