His tone rather than his words were conclusive to the Curate that his
heart had never swerved from the purpose with which he had stood at
the Font; but the languor and indolence of the voice indicated that
the tropical indifference was far from conquered, and it was an
anxious question whether the life destined for him might not be
exceptionally perilous to his peculiar temperament of nonchalance and
excitability.
Consideration was not possible just then, for when Mr. Audley opened
the door, he found that he had been impatiently waited for, and
barely time was allowed to him to send Lance to Ferdinand Travis,
before he was summoned to immediate conference with Thomas Underwood,
who, on coming in, had assumed the management of affairs, and on
calling for the will, was rather displeased with Felix's protest
against doing anything without Mr. Audley, whom he knew to have been
named guardian by his father. The cousin seemed unable to credit the
statement; and Wilmet had just found the long envelope with the black
seal, exactly as it had lain in the desk, which had never been
disturbed since the business on their father's death had been
finished.
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