human
To-morrow morning, Felix! You are engaged to dine with the Longestaffes!
gpt
You could make any excuse you like about that.
human
It would be the most uncourteous thing in the world. The Longestaffes you know are the leading people in this part of the country. No one knows what may happen. If you should ever be living at Carbury, how sad it would be that you should have quarrelled with them.
gpt
You forget, mother, that Dolly Longestaffe is about the most intimate friend I have in the world.
human
That does not justify you in being uncivil to the father and mother. And you should remember what you came here for.
gpt
What did I come for?
human
That you might see Marie Melmotte more at your ease than you can in their London house.
gpt
That's all settled,
human
Settled!
gpt
As far as the girl is concerned. I can't very well go to the old fellow for his consent down here.
human
Do you mean to say, Felix, that Marie Melmotte has accepted you?
gpt
I told you that before.
human
My dear Felix. Oh, my boy! In her joy the mother took her unwilling son in her arms and caressed him. Here was the first step taken not only to success, but to such magnificent splendour as should make her son to be envied by all young men, and herself to be envied by all mothers in England!
gpt
No, you didn't tell me before. But I am so happy. Is she really fond of you? I don't wonder that any girl should be fond of you.
human
I can't say anything about that, but I think she means to stick to it.
gpt
If she is firm, of course her father will give way at last. Fathers always do give way when the girl is firm. Why should he oppose it?
human
I don't know that he will.
gpt
You are a man of rank, with a title of your own. I suppose what he wants is a gentleman for his girl. I don't see why he should not be perfectly satisfied. With all his enormous wealth a thousand a year or so can't make any difference. And then he made you one of the Directors at his Board. Oh Felix;--it is almost too good to be true.
human
I ain't quite sure that I care very much about being married, you know.
gpt
Oh, Felix, pray don't say that. Why shouldn't you like being married? She is a very nice girl, and we shall all be so fond of her! Don't let any feeling of that kind come over you; pray don't. You will be able to do just what you please when once the question of her money is settled. Of course you can hunt as often as you like, and you can have a house in any part of London you please. You must understand by this time how very disagreeable it is to have to get on without an established income.
human
I quite understand that.
gpt
If this were once done you would never have any more trouble of that kind. There would be plenty of money for everything as long as you live. It would be complete success. I don't know how to say enough to you, or to tell you how dearly I love you, or to make you understand how well I think you have done it all. Then she caressed him again, and was almost beside herself in an agony of mingled anxiety and joy. If, after all, her beautiful boy, who had lately been her disgrace and her great trouble because of his poverty, should shine forth to the world as a baronet with ú20,000 a year, how glorious would it be! She must have known,--she did know,--how poor, how selfish a creature he was. But her gratification at the prospect of his splendour obliterated the sorrow with which the vileness of his character sometimes oppressed her. Were he to win this girl with all her father's money, neither she nor his sister would be the better for it, except in this, that the burden of maintaining him would be taken from her shoulders. But his magnificence would be established. He was her son, and the prospect of his fortune and splendour was sufficient to elate her into a very heaven of beautiful dreams.
human
But, Felix, she continued,
gpt
Run away! What nonsense you talk.
human
If you were to start back to London at once I mean, it would be an affront to her, and the very thing to set Melmotte against you. You should lay yourself out to please him;--indeed you should.
gpt
Oh, bother!