He had been living in dread of Morrison's appearing in Bernard Street to claim his bond--revealing Phoebe's existence perhaps to ears unprepared--and laying greedy hands upon the 'Genius Loci.' It would have been hard to keep him off it--unless Lord Findon had promptly come forward--and it would have been odious to yield it to him.

'Now I shall take my time.' Of course, ultimately, he would repay the money to Mrs.Morrison and Bella.

But better, even in their interests, to wait a while, till there could be no question of any other claim to it.
So from horror he passed to a personal relief, of which he was rather ashamed, and then again to a real uneasy pity for the wife and for the vulgar daughter who had so bitterly resented his handling of her charms.

He remembered the note in which she had acknowledged the final delivery of her portrait.

In obedience to Morrison's suggestion, he had kept it by him a few days; and then, either unable or proudly unwilling to alter it, he had returned it to its owner.