human
Dolly, said he,
gpt
Mistaken! Dolly still continued to exclaim with a loud voice.
human
Am I mistaken in supposing that I haven't been paid my money?
gpt
I don't believe it has been owing very long.
human
Am I mistaken in supposing that my name has been forged to a letter?
gpt
I am sure you are mistaken if you think that Melmotte had anything to do with it.
human
Squercum says--
gpt
Never mind Squercum. We all know what are the suspicions of a fellow of that kind.
human
I'd believe Squercum a deuced sight sooner than Melmotte.
gpt
Look here, Dolly. I know more probably of Melmotte's affairs than you do or perhaps than anybody else. If it will induce you to remain quiet for a few days and to hold your tongue here,--I'll make myself responsible for the entire sum he owes you.
human
The devil you will.
gpt
I will indeed.
human
That's out of the question, you know, he said.
gpt
How could I take your money? The truth is, Nidderdale, the man is a thief, and so you'll find out, sooner or later. He has broken open a drawer in my father's room and forged my name to a letter. Everybody knows it. Even my governor knows it now,--and Bideawhile. Before many days are over you'll find that he will be in gaol for forgery.
human
Since you will speak about it in this public way--
gpt
I think it ought to be spoken about in a public way,
human
I deny it as publicly. I can't say anything about the letter except that I am sure Mr. Melmotte did not put your name to it. From what I understand there seems to have been some blunder between your father and his lawyer.
gpt
That's true enough, said Dolly;
human
As to the money, there can be no more doubt that it will be paid than that I stand here. What is it?--twenty-five thousand, isn't it?
gpt
Eighty thousand, the whole.
human
Well,--eighty thousand. It's impossible to suppose that such a man as Melmotte shouldn't be able to raise eighty thousand pounds.
gpt
Why don't he do it then?
human
By George, said Dolly, as he filled another pipe and ordered more brandy and water,
gpt
I think everything is going to come to an end. I do indeed. I never heard of such a thing before as a man being done in this way. And then Vossner has gone off, and it seems everybody is to pay just what he says they owed him. And now one can't even get up a game of cards. I feel as though there were no good in hoping that things would ever come right again.
human
If Melmotte were so great a man why didn't he pay the money, and why should he have mortgaged the property before it was really his own? But the majority of the men thought that Dolly was wrong. As to the signature of the letter, Dolly was a man who would naturally be quite unable to say what he had and what he had not signed. And then, even into the Beargarden there had filtered, through the outer world, a feeling that people were not now bound to be so punctilious in the paying of money as they were a few years since. No doubt it suited Melmotte to make use of the money, and therefore,--as he had succeeded in getting the property into his hands,--he did make use of it. But it would be forthcoming sooner or later! In this way of looking at the matter the Beargarden followed the world at large. The world at large, in spite of the terrible falling-off at the Emperor of China's dinner, in spite of all the rumours, in spite of the ruinous depreciation of the Mexican Railway stock, and of the undoubted fact that Dolly Longestaffe had not received his money, was inclined to think that Melmotte would
gpt
The stockbroker made also some few enquiries, and on that evening agreed with Squercum that Melmotte was a
human
If such were the case it would positively be the making of Squercum if it could be so managed that he should appear as the destroying angel of this offensive dragon. So Squercum raged among the Bideawhiles, who were unable altogether to shut their doors against him. They could not dare to bid defiance to Squercum,--feeling that they had themselves blundered, and feeling also that they must be careful not to seem to screen a fault by a falsehood.
gpt
I suppose you give it up about the letter having been signed by my client,
human
I give up nothing and I assert nothing, said the superior attorney.
gpt
Whether the letter be genuine or not we had no reason to believe it to be otherwise. The young gentleman's signature is never very plain, and this one is about as like any other as that other would be like the last.
human
Would you let me look at it again, Mr. Bideawhile? Then the letter which had been very often inspected during the last ten days was handed to Mr. Squercum.
gpt
It's a stiff resemblance;--such as he never could have written had he tried it ever so.
human
Perhaps not, Mr. Squercum. We are not generally on the lookout for forgeries in letters from our clients or our clients' sons.
gpt
Just so, Mr. Bideawhile. But then Mr. Longestaffe had already told you that his son would not sign the letter.
human
How is one to know when and how and why a young man like that will change his purpose?
gpt
Just so, Mr. Bideawhile. But you see after such a declaration as that on the part of my client's father, the letter,--which is in itself a little irregular perhaps--
human
I don't know that it's irregular at all.
gpt
Well;--it didn't reach you in a very confirmatory manner. We'll just say that. What Mr. Longestaffe can have been at to wish to give up his title-deeds without getting anything for them--
human
Excuse me, Mr. Squercum, but that's between Mr. Longestaffe and us.
gpt
Just so;--but as Mr. Longestaffe and you have jeopardised my client's property it is natural that I should make a few remarks. I think you'd have made a few remarks yourself, Mr. Bideawhile, if the case had been reversed. I shall bring the matter before the Lord Mayor, you know. To this Mr. Bideawhile said not a word.
human
And I think I understand you now that you do not intend to insist on the signature as being genuine.
gpt
I say nothing about it, Mr. Squercum. I think you'll find it very hard to prove that it's not genuine.
human
My client's oath, Mr. Bideawhile.
gpt
I'm afraid your client is not always very clear as to what he does.
human
I don't know what you mean by that, Mr. Bideawhile. I fancy that if I were to speak in that way of your client you would be very angry with me. Besides, what does it all amount to? Will the old gentleman say that he gave the letter into his son's hands, so that, even if such a freak should have come into my client's head, he could have signed it and sent it off? If I understand, Mr. Longestaffe says that he locked the letter up in a drawer in the very room which Melmotte occupied, and that he afterwards found the drawer open. It won't, I suppose, be alleged that my client knew so little what he was about that he broke open the drawer in order that he might get at the letter. Look at it whichever way you will, he did not sign it, Mr. Bideawhile.
gpt
I have never said he did. All I say is that we had fair ground for supposing that it was his letter. I really don't know that I can say anything more.
human
Only that we are to a certain degree in the same boat together in this matter.
gpt
I won't admit even that, Mr. Squercum.
human
The difference being that your client by his fault has jeopardised his own interests and those of my client, while my client has not been in fault at all. I shall bring the matter forward before the Lord Mayor to-morrow, and as at present advised shall ask for an investigation with reference to a charge of fraud. I presume you will be served with a subpoena to bring the letter into court.
gpt
If so you may be sure that we shall produce it. Then Mr. Squercum took his leave and went straight away to Mr. Bumby, a barrister well known in the City. The game was too powerful to be hunted down by Mr. Squercum's unassisted hands. He had already seen Mr. Bumby on the matter more than once. Mr. Bumby was inclined to doubt whether it might not be better to get the money, or some guarantee for the money. Mr. Bumby thought that if a bill at three months could be had for Dolly's share of the property it might be expedient to take it. Mr. Squercum suggested that the property itself might be recovered, no genuine sale having been made. Mr. Bumby shook his head.
human
Title-deeds give possession, Mr. Squercum. You don't suppose that the company which has lent money to Melmotte on the title-deeds would have to lose it. Take the bill; and if it is dishonoured run your chance of what you'll get out of the property. There must be assets.
gpt
Every rap will have been made over,
human
By George, it's hardly worth having if one is to take all this trouble about it,