human
I thought you were at Liverpool,
gpt
I came back to-day,--to be present at that Board in the city. I have had a good deal to trouble me. I will tell you all about it just now. What has brought you to London?
human
A little business,
gpt
Have you had a pleasant evening, mamma?
human
Have you had a pleasant evening, my dear?
gpt
Indeed, no, said Hetta, attempting to laugh,
human
I have been trying to work hard at Dante, but one never does any good when one has to try to work. I was just going to bed when Mr. Montague came in. What did you think of the wise men and the wise women, Roger?
gpt
I was out of my element, of course; but I think your mother liked it.
human
I was very glad indeed to meet Dr. Palmoil. It seems that if we can only open the interior of Africa a little further, we can get everything that is wanted to complete the chemical combination necessary for feeding the human race. Isn't that a grand idea, Roger?
gpt
A little more elbow grease is the combination that I look to.
human
Surely, Roger, if the Bible is to go for anything, we are to believe that labour is a curse and not a blessing. Adam was not born to labour.
gpt
But he fell; and I doubt whether Dr. Palmoil will be able to put his descendants back into Eden.
human
Roger, for a religious man, you do say the strangest things! I have quite made up my mind to this;--if ever I can see things so settled here as to enable me to move, I will visit the interior of Africa. It is the garden of the world.
gpt
What brought him here?
human
He brought himself, mamma.
gpt
Don't answer me in that way, Hetta. Of course he brought himself. That is insolent.
human
Insolent, mamma! How can you say such hard words? I meant that he came of his own accord.
gpt
How long was he here?
human
Two minutes before you came in. Why do you cross-question me like this? I could not help his coming. I did not desire that he might be shown up.
gpt
You did not know that he was to come?
human
Mamma, if I am to be suspected, all is over between us.
gpt
What do you mean by that?
human
If you can think that I would deceive you, you will think so always. If you will not trust me, how am I to live with you as though you did? I knew nothing of his coming.
gpt
Tell me this, Hetta; are you engaged to marry him?
human
No;--I am not.
gpt
Has he asked you to marry him?
human
I do not think he ever has.
gpt
You do not think?
human
I was going on to explain. He never has asked me. But he has said that which makes me know that he wishes me to be his wife.
gpt
What has he said? When did he say it?
human
Just before you came in, he said--; I don't know what he said; but it meant that.
gpt
You told me he had been here but a minute.
human
It was but very little more. If you take me at my word in that way, of course you can make me out to be wrong, mamma. It was almost no time, and yet he said it.
gpt
He had come prepared to say it.
human
How could he,--expecting to find you?
gpt
Psha! He expected nothing of the kind.
human
I think you do him wrong, mamma. I am sure you are doing me wrong. I think his coming was an accident, and that what he said was--an accident.
gpt
An accident!
human
It was not intended,--not then, mamma. I have known it ever so long;--and so have you. It was natural that he should say so when we were alone together.
gpt
And you;--what did you say?
human
Nothing. You came.
gpt
I am sorry that my coming should have been so inopportune. But I must ask one other question, Hetta. What do you intend to say? Hetta was again silent, and now for a longer space. She put her hand up to her brow and pushed back her hair as she thought whether her mother had a right to continue this cross-examination. She had told her mother everything as it had happened. She had kept back no deed done, no word spoken, either now or at any time. But she was not sure that her mother had a right to know her thoughts, feeling as she did that she had so little sympathy from her mother.
human
How do you intend to answer him?
gpt
I do not know that he will ask again.
human
That is prevaricating.
gpt
No, mamma;--I do not prevaricate. It is unfair to say that to me. I do love him. There. I think it ought to have been enough for you to know that I should never give him encouragement without telling you about it. I do love him, and I shall never love any one else.
human
He is a ruined man. Your cousin says that all this Company in which he is involved will go to pieces.
gpt
If so, said she,
human
Mr. Melmotte will be a ruined man too, and yet you want Felix to marry Marie Melmotte.
gpt
It makes me ill to hear you talk,--as if you understood these things. And you think you will marry this man because he is to make a fortune out of the Railway!