The Way We Live Now (40 page)

Sir Felix said that he would dine at the club, but declared, with considerable mystery in his manner, that he could not stay and play whist afterwards. He acceded willingly to Dolly's plan of visiting Abchurch Lane on the following day, but had some difficulty in inducing his friend to consent to fix on an hour early enough for City purposes. Dolly suggested that they should meet at the club at 4 P.M. Sir Felix had named noon, and promised to call at Dolly's lodgings. They split the difference at last and agreed to start at two. They then dined together, Miles Grendall dining alone at the next table to them. Dolly and Grendall spoke to each other frequently, but in that conversation the young baronet would not join. Nor did Grendall ever address himself to Sir Felix. ‘Is there anything up between you and Miles?' said Dolly, when they had adjourned to the smoking-room.

‘I can't bear him.'

‘There never was any love between you two, I know. But you used to speak, and you've played with him all through.'

‘Played with him! I should think I have. Though he did get such a haul last Sunday he owes me more than you do now.'

‘Is that the reason you haven't played the last two nights?'

Sir Felix paused a moment. ‘No – that is not the reason. I'll tell you all about it in the cab to-morrow.' Then he left the club, declaring that he would go up to Grosvenor Square and see Marie Melmotte. He did
go up to the square, and when he came to the house he would not go in. What was the good? He could do nothing further till he got old Melmotte's consent, and in no way could he so probably do that as by showing that he had got money wherewith to buy shares in the railway. What he did with himself during the remainder of the evening the reader need not know, but on his return home at some comparatively early hour, he found this note from Marie.

‘
Wednesday Afternoon.

‘DEAREST FELIX,

‘Why don't we see you? Mamma would say nothing if you came. Papa is never in the drawing-room. Miss Longestaffe is here of course, and people always come in the evening. We are just going to dine out at the Duchess of Stevenage's. Papa, and mamma and I. Mamma told me that Lord Nidderdale is to be there, but you need not be a bit afraid. I don't like Lord Nidderdale, and I will never take any one but the man I love. You know who that is. Miss Longestaffe is so angry because she can't go with us. What do you think of her telling me that she did not understand being left alone? We are to go afterwards to a musical party at Lady Gamut's. Miss Longestaffe is going with us, but she says that she hates music. She is such a set-up thing! I wonder why papa has her here. We don't go anywhere to-morrow evening, so pray come.

‘And why haven't you written me something and sent it to Didon? She won't betray us. And if she did, what matters? I mean to be true. If papa were to beat me into a mummy I would stick to you. He told me once to take Lord Nidderdale, and then he told me to refuse him. And now he wants me to take him again. But I won't. I'll take no one but my own darling.

‘Yours for ever and ever,
‘
MARIE
.'

Now that the young lady had begun to have an interest of her own in life, she was determined to make the most of it. All this was delightful to her, but to Sir Felix it was simply ‘a bother.' Sir Felix was quite willing to marry the girl to-morrow – on condition of course that the money was properly arranged; but he was not willing to go through much work in the way of love-making with Marie Melmotte. In such business he preferred Ruby Ruggles as a companion.

On the following day Felix was with his friend at the appointed time, and was only kept an hour waiting while Dolly ate his breakfast and
struggled into his coat and boots. On their way to the City Felix told his dreadful story about Miles Grendall. ‘By George!' said Dolly. ‘And you think you saw him do it!'

‘It's not thinking at all. I'm sure I saw him do it three times. I believe he always had an ace somewhere about him.' Dolly sat quite silent thinking of it. ‘What had I better do?' asked Sir Felix.

‘By George; – I don't know.'

‘What should you do?'

‘Nothing at all. I shouldn't believe my own eyes. Or if I did, I should take care not to look at him.'

‘You wouldn't go on playing with him?'

‘Yes I should. It'd be such a bore breaking up.'

‘But Dolly – if you think of it!'

‘That's all very fine, my dear fellow, but I shouldn't think of it.'

‘And you won't give me your advice.'

‘Well; – no; I think I'd rather not. I wish you hadn't told me. Why did you pick me out to tell me? Why didn't you tell Nidderdale?'

‘He might have said, why didn't you tell Longestaffe?'

‘No, he wouldn't. Nobody would suppose that anybody would pick me out for this kind of thing. If I'd known that you were going to tell me such a story as this I wouldn't have come with you.'

‘That's nonsense, Dolly.'

‘Very well. I can't bear these kind of things. I feel all in a twitter already.'

‘You mean to go on playing just the same?'

‘Of course I do. If he won anything very heavy I should begin to think about it, I suppose. Oh; this is Abchurch Lane, is it? Now for the man of money.'

The man of money received them much more graciously than Sir Felix had expected. Of course nothing was said about Marie and no further allusion was made to the painful subject of the baronet's ‘property.' Both Dolly and Sir Felix were astonished by the quick way in which the great financier understood their views and the readiness with which he undertook to comply with them. No disagreeable questions were asked as to the matter of the debt between the young men. Dolly was called upon to sign a couple of documents, and Sir Felix to sign one – and then they were assured that the thing was done. Mr Adolphus Longestaffe had paid Sir Felix Carbury a thousand pounds, and Sir Felix Carbury's commission had been accepted by Mr Melmotte for the purchase of railway stock to that amount. Sir Felix attempted to say a
word. He endeavoured to explain that his object in this commercial transaction was to make money immediately by reselling the shares – and to go on continually making money by buying at a low price and selling at a high price. He no doubt did believe that, being a director, if he could once raise the means of beginning this game, he could go on with it for an unlimited period – buy and sell, buy and sell – so that he would have an almost regular income. This, as far as he could understand, was what Paul Montague was allowed to do – simply because he had become a director with a little money. Mr Melmotte was cordiality itself, but he could not be got to go into particulars. It was all right. ‘You will wish to sell again, of course; – of course. I'll watch the market for you.' When the young men left the room all they knew, or thought that they knew, was, that Dolly Longestaffe had authorized Melmotte to pay a thousand pounds on his behalf to Sir Felix, and that Sir Felix had instructed the same great man to buy shares with the amount. ‘But why didn't he give you the scrip?' said Dolly on his way westwards.

‘I suppose it's all right with him,' said Sir Felix.

‘Oh yes – it's all right Thousands of pounds to him are only like half-crowns to us fellows. I should say it's all right. All the same, he's the biggest rogue out, you know.' Sir Felix already began to be unhappy about his thousand pounds.

Lady Carbury continued to ask frequent questions as to the prosecution of her son's suit, and Sir Felix began to think that he was persecuted. ‘I have spoken to her father,' he said crossly.

‘And what did Mr Melmotte say?'

‘Say; – what should he say? He wanted to know what income I had got. After all he's an old screw.'

‘Did he forbid you to come there any more?'

‘Now, mother, it's no use your cross-examining me. If you'll let me alone I'll do the best I can.'

‘She has accepted you, herself?'

‘Of course she has. I told you that at Carbury.'

‘Then, Felix, if I were you I'd run off with her. I would indeed. It's done every day, and nobody thinks any harm of it when you marry the girl. You could do it now because I know you've got money. From all I can hear she's just the sort of girl that would go with you.' The son sat silent, listening to these maternal councils. He did believe that Marie would go off with him, were he to propose the scheme to her. Her own father had almost alluded to such a proceeding – had certainly hinted that it was feasible – but at the same time had very clearly stated that in such case the ardent lover would have to content himself with the lady alone. In any such event as that there would be no fortune. But then, might not that only be a threat? Rich fathers generally do forgive their daughters, and a rich father with only one child would surely forgive her when she returned to him, as she would do in this instance, graced with a title. Sir Felix thought of all this as he sat there silent. His mother read his thoughts as she continued. ‘Of course, Felix, there must be some risk.'

‘Fancy what it would be to be thrown over at last!' he exclaimed. ‘I couldn't bear it. I think I should kill her.'

‘Oh no, Felix; you wouldn't do that. But when I say there would be some risk I mean that there would be very little. There would be nothing in it that ought to make him really angry. He has nobody else to give his money to, and it would be much nicer to have his daughter, Lady Carbury, with him, than to be left all alone in the world.'

‘I couldn't live with him, you know. I couldn't do it.'

‘You needn't live with him, Felix. Of course she would visit her parents. When the money was once settled you need see as little of them as you pleased. Pray do not allow trifles to interfere with you. If this should not succeed, what are you to do? We shall all starve unless something be done. If I were you, Felix, I would take her away at once. They say she is of age.'

‘I shouldn't know where to take her,' said Sir Felix, almost stunned into thoughtfulness by the magnitude of the proposition made to him. ‘All that about Scotland
¹
is done with now.'

‘Of course you would marry her at once.'

‘I suppose so – unless it were better to stay as we were, till the money was settled.'

‘Oh no; no! Everybody would be against you. If you take her off in a spirited sort of way and then marry her, everybody will be with you. That's what you want. The father and mother will be sure to come round, if–'

‘The mother is nothing.'

‘He will come round if people speak up in your favour. I could get Mr Alf and Mr Broune to help. I'd try it, Felix; indeed I would. Ten thousand a year is not to be had every year.'

Sir Felix gave no assent to his mother's views. He felt no desire to relieve her anxiety by an assurance of activity in the matter. But the prospect was so grand that it had excited even him. He had money sufficient for carrying out the scheme, and if he delayed the matter now, it might well be that he would never again find himself so circumstanced. He thought that he would ask somebody whither he ought to take her, and what he ought to do with her – and that he would then make the proposition to herself. Miles Grendall would be the man to tell him, because, with all his faults, Miles did understand things. But he could not ask Miles. He and Nidderdale were good friends; but Nidderdale wanted the girl for himself. Grasslough would be sure to tell Nidderdale. Dolly would be altogether useless. He thought that, perhaps, Herr Vossner would be the man to help him. There would be no difficulty out of which Herr Vossner would not extricate ‘a fellow' – if ‘the fellow' paid him.

On Thursday evening he went to Grosvenor Square, as desired by Marie – but unfortunately found Melmotte in the drawing-room. Lord Nidderdale was there also, and his lordship's old father, the Marquis of Auld Reekie, whom Felix, when he entered the room, did not know. He was a fierce-looking, gouty old man, with watery eyes, and very stiff grey hair – almost white. He was standing up supporting himself on two sticks when Sir Felix entered the room. There were also present Madame Melmotte, Miss Longestaffe, and Marie. As Felix had entered the hall one huge footman had said that the ladies were not at home; then there had been for a moment a whispering behind a door – in which he afterwards conceived that Madamée Didon had taken a part – and upon that a second tall footman had contradicted the first and had ushered him up to the drawing-room. He felt considerably embarrassed, but shook hands with the ladies, bowed to Melmotte, who seemed to take no notice of him, and nodded to Lord Nidderdale. He had not had time to place himself, when the marquis arranged things. ‘Suppose we go downstairs,' said the marquis.

‘Certainly, my lord,' said Melmotte. ‘I'll show your lordship the way.' The marquis did not speak to his son, but poked at him with his stick, as though poking him out of the door. So instigated Nidderdale followed the financier, and the gouty old marquis toddled after them.

Madame Melmotte was beside herself with trepidation. ‘You should not have been made to come up at all,' she said. ‘Il faut que vous vous retirez.'

‘I am very sorry,' said Sir Felix, looking quite aghast.

‘I think that I had at any rate better retire,' said Miss Longestaffe, raising herself to her full height and stalking out of the room.

‘Qu'elle est méchante,' said Madame Melmotte. ‘Oh, she is so bad. Sir Felix, you had better go too. Yes – indeed.'

‘No,' said Marie, running to him, and taking hold of his arm. ‘Why should he go? I want papa to know.'

‘Il vous tuera,' said Madame Melmotte. ‘My God, yes.'

‘Then he shall,' said Marie, clinging to her lover. ‘I will never marry Lord Nidderdale. If he were to cut me into bits I wouldn't do it. Felix, you love me – do you not?'