human
Have you heard what's up, Ju?
gpt
Have you heard what's up, Ju?
human
What is up?
gpt
Haven't you been out?
human
I was shopping, and that kind of thing. I don't want to take that girl into the Park. I've made a mistake in having her here, but I mean to be seen with her as little as I can.
gpt
Be good-natured, Ju, whatever you are.
human
Oh, bother! I know what I'm about. What is it you mean?
gpt
They say Melmotte's been found out.
human
Found out! exclaimed Lady Monogram, stopping her maid in some arrangement which would not need to be continued in the event of her not going to the reception.
gpt
What do you mean by found out?
human
I don't know exactly. There are a dozen stories told. It's something about that place he bought of old Longestaffe.
gpt
Are the Longestaffes mixed up in it? I won't have her here a day longer if there is anything against them.
human
Don't be an ass, Ju. There's nothing against him except that the poor old fellow hasn't got a shilling of his money.
gpt
Then he's ruined,--and there's an end of them.
human
Perhaps he will get it now. Some say that Melmotte has forged a receipt, others a letter. Some declare that he has manufactured a whole set of title-deeds. You remember Dolly?
gpt
Of course I know Dolly Longestaffe,
human
They say he has found it all out. There was always something about Dolly more than fellows gave him credit for. At any rate, everybody says that Melmotte will be in quod before long.
gpt
Not to-night, Damask!
human
Nobody seems to know. Lupton was saying that the policemen would wait about in the room like servants till the Emperor and the Princes had gone away.
gpt
Is Mr. Lupton going?
human
He was to have been at the dinner, but hadn't made up his mind whether he'd go or not when I saw him. Nobody seems to be quite certain whether the Emperor will go. Somebody said that a Cabinet Council was to be called to know what to do.
gpt
A Cabinet Council!
human
Why, you see it's rather an awkward thing, letting the Prince go to dine with a man who perhaps may have been arrested and taken to gaol before dinner-time. That's the worst part of it. Nobody knows.
gpt
Damask, she said, when he reappeared,
human
After you've made such a fuss about it!
gpt
It is a pity,--having that girl here in the house. You know, don't you, she's going to marry one of these people?
human
I heard about her marriage yesterday. But Brehgert isn't one of Melmotte's set. They tell me that Brehgert isn't a bad fellow. A vulgar cad, and all that, but nothing wrong about him.
gpt
He's a Jew,--and he's seventy years old, and makes up horribly.
human
What does it matter to you if he's eighty? You are determined, then, you won't go?
gpt
I suppose you'll go,
human
Of course we shall,--in about an hour,
gpt
Because, you know-- and then he called her back.
human
If you want me I'll stay, of course; but if you don't, I'll go down to the club.
gpt
How can I say, yet? You needn't mind the club to-night.
human
All right;--only it's a bore being here alone.
gpt
human
Is there any doubt about our going to-night?
gpt
I can't say. I'm so harassed that I don't know what I'm about. There seems to be a report that the Emperor won't be there.
human
Impossible!
gpt
It's all very well to say impossible, my dear, said Lady Monogram;
human
Then she descended to her husband, whom she found forlornly consoling himself with a cigar.
gpt
Damask, she said,
human
Find out what?
gpt
Whether the Prince and the Emperor are there.
human
Send John to ask,
gpt
He would be sure to make a blunder about it. If you'd go yourself you'd learn the truth in a minute. Have a cab,--just go into the hall and you'll soon know how it all is;--I'd do it in a minute if I were you. Sir Damask was the most good-natured man in the world, but he did not like the job.
human
What can be the objection?
gpt
Go to a man's house and find out whether a man's guests are come before you go yourself! I don't just see it, Ju.
human
Guests! What nonsense! The Emperor and all the Royal Family! As if it were like any other party. Such a thing, probably, never happened before, and never will happen again. If you don't go, Damask, I must; and I will. Sir Damask, after groaning and smoking for half a minute, said that he would go. He made many remonstrances. It was a confounded bore. He hated emperors and he hated princes. He hated the whole box and dice of that sort of thing! He