Of course he was prejudiced
against the man, and though himself too little acquainted with the
facts of the case to distinguish Joseph's motives, he felt that the
middle-aged prodigal's return was anything but a fortunate event for
Michael and his granddaughter. The secret marriage with Clem was not
likely, in were not lacking grounds for hesitation in refusing to
accept any case, to have a respectable significance. True, there
Joseph's account of himself. He had a fund of natural amiability; he
had a good provision of intellect; his talk was at times very
persuasive and much like that of one who has been brought to a
passable degree of honesty by the slow development of his better
instincts. But his face was against him; the worn, sallow features,
the eyes which so obviously made a struggle to look with frankness,
the vicious lower lip, awoke suspicion and told tales of base
experience such as leaves its stamp upon a man for ever. All the
more repugnant was this face to Sidney because it presented, in
certain aspects, an undeniable resemblance to Jane's; impossible to
say which feature put forth this claim of kindred, but the
impression was there, and it made Sidney turn away his eyes in
disgust as often as he perceived it.
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