human
My dear Georgiana, she said,
gpt
I supposed your father knew all about it.
human
I know nothing. Georgiana, I hate a mystery. I insist upon knowing. Who is Mr. Brehgert, Lady Monogram?
gpt
Mr. Brehgert is a--very wealthy gentleman. That is all I know of him. Perhaps, Georgiana, you will be glad to be alone with your father.
human
Papa, I wrote to mamma this morning, and Mr. Brehgert was to come to you to-morrow.
gpt
Do you mean that you are engaged to marry him?
human
Yes, papa.
gpt
What Mr. Brehgert is he?
human
He is a merchant.
gpt
You can't mean the fat Jew whom I've met with Mr. Melmotte;--a man old enough to be your father! The poor girl's condition now was certainly lamentable. The fat Jew, old enough to be her father, was the very man she did mean. She thought that she would try to brazen it out with her father. But at the present moment she had been so cowed by the manner in which the subject had been introduced that she did not know how to begin to be bold. She only looked at him as though imploring him to spare her.
human
Is the man a Jew?
gpt
Yes, papa,
human
He is that fat man?
gpt
Yes, papa.
human
And nearly as old as I am?
gpt
No, papa,--not nearly as old as you are. He is fifty.
human
And a Jew? He again asked the horrid question, and again threw in the thunder. On this occasion she condescended to make no further reply.
gpt
If you do, you shall do it as an alien from my house. I certainly will never see him. Tell him not to come to me, for I certainly will not speak to him. You are degraded and disgraced; but you shall not degrade and disgrace me and your mother and sister.
human
It was you, papa, who told me to go to the Melmottes.
gpt
That is not true. I wanted you to stay at Caversham. A Jew! an old fat Jew! Heavens and earth! that it should be possible that you should think of it! You;--my daughter,--that used to take such pride in yourself! Have you written to your mother?
human
I have.
gpt
It will kill her. It will simply kill her. And you are going home to-morrow?
human
I wrote to say so.
gpt
And there you must remain. I suppose I had better see the man and explain to him that it is utterly impossible. Heavens on earth;--a Jew! An old fat Jew! My daughter! I will take you down home myself to-morrow. What have I done that I should be punished by my children in this way? The poor man had had rather a stormy interview with Dolly that morning.
human
You had better leave this house to-day, and come to my hotel in Jermyn Street.
gpt
Oh, papa, I can't do that.
human
Why can't you do it? You can do it, and you shall do it. I will not have you see him again. I will see him. If you do not promise me to come, I will send for Lady Monogram and tell her that I will not permit you to meet Mr. Brehgert at her house. I do wonder at her. A Jew! An old fat Jew!
gpt
Tell him that I was called away suddenly.
human
I will, my dear. I thought your papa would not like it.