human
Cheer up, Sam; Don't let your spirits go down. There's many a girl that I know well, Is waiting for you in the town.
gpt
Ha, ha, ha, laughed Melmotte,
human
Upon my word, sir, I don't know about that. Miss Melmotte has given the most convincing proof of her partiality for another gentleman, and of her indifference to me.
gpt
A foolish baggage! A silly little romantic baggage! She's been reading novels till she has learned to think she couldn't settle down quietly till she had run off with somebody.
human
She doesn't seem to have succeeded on this occasion, Mr. Melmotte.
gpt
No;--of course we had her back again from Liverpool.
human
But they say that she got further than the gentleman.
gpt
He is a dishonest, drunken scoundrel. My girl knows very well what he is now. She'll never try that game again. Of course, my Lord, I'm very sorry. You know that I've been on the square with you always. She's my only child, and sooner or later she must have all that I possess. What she will have at once will make any man wealthy,--that is, if she marries with my sanction; and in a year or two I expect that I shall be able to double what I give her now, without touching my capital. Of course you understand that I desire to see her occupying high rank. I think that, in this country, that is a noble object of ambition. Had she married that sweep I should have broken my heart. Now, my Lord, I want you to say that this shall make no difference to you. I am very honest with you. I do not try to hide anything. The thing of course has been a misfortune. Girls will be romantic. But you may be sure that this little accident will assist rather than impede your views. After this she will not be very fond of Sir Felix Carbury.
human
I dare say not. Though, by Jove, girls will forgive anything.
gpt
She won't forgive him. By George, she shan't. She shall hear the whole story. You'll come and see her just the same as ever!
human
I don't know about that, Mr. Melmotte.
gpt
Why not? You're not so weak as to surrender all your settled projects for such a piece of folly as that! He didn't even see her all the time.
human
That wasn't her fault.
gpt
The money will all be there, Lord Nidderdale.
human
The money's all right, I've no doubt. And there isn't a man in all London would be better pleased to settle down with a good income than I would. But, by Jove, it's a rather strong order when a girl has just run away with another man. Everybody knows it.
gpt
In three months' time everybody will have forgotten it.
human
To tell you the truth, sir, I think Miss Melmotte has got a will of her own stronger than you give her credit for. She has never given me the slightest encouragement. Ever so long ago, about Christmas, she did once say that she would do as you bade her. But she is very much changed since then. The thing was off.
gpt
She had nothing to do with that.
human
No;--but she has taken advantage of it, and I have no right to complain.
gpt
You just come to the house, and ask her again to-morrow. Or come on Sunday morning. Don't let us be done out of all our settled arrangements by the folly of an idle girl. Will you come on Sunday morning about noon? Lord Nidderdale thought of his position for a few moments and then said that perhaps he would come on Sunday morning. After that Melmotte proposed that they two should go and
human
at a certain Conservative club in the City. There would be time before the meeting of the Railway Board. Nidderdale had no objection to the lunch, but expressed a strong opinion that the Board was
gpt
human
That's all very well for you, young man, said the chairman,
gpt
Then he touched the young man on the shoulder and drew him back as he was passing out by the front stairs.
human
Come this way, Nidderdale;--come this way. I must get out without being seen. There are people waiting for me there who think that a man can attend to business from morning to night without ever having a bit in his mouth.
gpt
After all it's only an affair of money,
human
Then say that I can't wait any longer,
gpt
Ah, Mr. Longestaffe, said the great financier, seizing him by the hand,
human
I have been waiting two hours up in your place,
gpt
Tut, tut, tut;--and they never told me!
human
I spoke to Mr. Grendall half a dozen times.
gpt
Yes,--yes. And he did put a slip with your name on it on my desk. I do remember. My dear sir, I have so many things on my brain, that I hardly know how to get along with them. You are coming to the Board? It's just the time now.
human
No; --said Mr. Longestaffe.
gpt
I can stay no longer in the City.
human
I was carried away to the Bank of England and could not help myself, said Melmotte.
gpt
And when they get me there I can never get away again.
human
My son is very anxious to have the payments made about Pickering,
gpt
Payments for Pickering! said Melmotte, assuming an air of unimportant doubt,--of doubt as though the thing were of no real moment.
human
Haven't they been made?
gpt
Certainly not, said Mr. Longestaffe,
human
There was something about it, but I cannot just remember what. My second cashier, Mr. Smith, manages all my private affairs, and they go clean out of my head. I'm afraid he's in Grosvenor Square at this moment. Let me see;--Pickering! Wasn't there some question of a mortgage? I'm sure there was something about a mortgage.
gpt
There was a mortgage, of course;--but that only made three payments necessary instead of two.
human
But there was some unavoidable delay about the papers;--something occasioned by the mortgagee. I know there was. But you shan't be inconvenienced, Mr. Longestaffe.
gpt
It's my son, Mr. Melmotte. He's got a lawyer of his own.
human
I never knew a young man that wasn't in a hurry for his money, said Melmotte laughing.
gpt
Oh, yes;--there were three payments to be made; one to you, one to your son, and one to the mortgagee. I will speak to Mr. Smith myself to-morrow--and you may tell your son that he really need not trouble his lawyer. He will only be losing his money, for lawyers are expensive. What; you won't come to the Board? I am sorry for that. Mr. Longestaffe, having after a fashion said what he had to say, declined to go to the Board. A painful rumour had reached him the day before, which had been communicated to him in a very quiet way by a very old friend,--by a member of a private firm of bankers whom he was accustomed to regard as the wisest and most eminent man of his acquaintance,--that Pickering had been already mortgaged to its full value by its new owner.
human
Mind, I know nothing, said the banker.
gpt
The report has reached me, and if it be true, it shows that Mr. Melmotte must be much pressed for money. It does not concern you at all if you have got your price. But it seems to be rather a quick transaction. I suppose you have, or he wouldn't have the title-deeds.