Farquhar they were strongly mingled with thankfulness that he
had escaped a disagreeable position, and a painful notoriety. His
natural caution induced him to make a resolution never to think
of any woman as a wife until he had ascertained all her
antecedents, from her birth upwards; and the same spirit of
caution, directed inwardly, made him afraid of giving too much
pity to Ruth, for fear of the conclusions to which such a feeling
might lead him. But still his old regard for her, for Leonard,
and his esteem and respect for the Bensons, induced him to lend a
willing ear to Jemima's earnest entreaty that he would go and
call on Mr. Benson, in order that she might learn something about
the family in general, and Ruth in particular. It was thus that
he came to sit by Mr. Benson's study fire, and to talk, in an
absent way, to that gentleman. How they got on the subject he did
not know, more than one-half of his attention being distracted;
but they were speaking about politics, when Mr. Farquhar learned
that Mr. Benson took in no newspaper.
"Will you allow me to send you over my Times? I have generally
done with it before twelve o'clock, and after that it is really
waste-paper in my house. You will oblige me by making use of it."
"I am sure I am very much obliged to you for thinking of it. But
do not trouble yourself to send it; Leonard can fetch it."
"How is Leonard now?" asked Mr.
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