nsideration must be humbug and nonsense. At any rate, I
intend to have none for you. Now, let me know why you have meddled
with my matters."

"I think I might, perhaps, better refer you to your uncle."

"No, sir; Mr Tombe is not my uncle's lawyer. My uncle never heard his
name, unless he heard of it from you."

"But it was by agreement with your uncle that I commissioned Mr Tombe
to raise for you the money you were desirous of borrowing from your
cousin. We thought it better that her fortune should not be for the
moment disturbed."

"But what had you to do with it? Why should you have done it? In the
first place, I don't believe your story; it is altogether improbable.
But why should he come to you of all men to raise money on his
daughter's behalf?"

"Unless you can behave yourself with more discretion, Mr Vavasor, you
must leave the room," said Mr Grey. Then, as Vavasor simply sneered
at him, but spoke nothing, he went on. "It was I who suggested to
your uncle that this arrangement should be made. I did not wish to
see Miss Vavasor's fortune squandered."

"And what was her fortune to you, sir? Are you aware that she is
engaged to me as my wife? I ask you, sir, whether you are aware that
Miss Vavasor is to be my wife?"

"I must altogether decline to discuss with you Miss Vavasor's present
or future position."

"By heavens, then, you shall hear me discuss it! She was engaged to
you, and she has given you your dismissal. If you had understood
anything of the conduct which is usual among gentlemen, or if you
had had any particle of pride in you, sir, you would have left her
and never mentioned her name again. I now find you meddling with her
money matters, so as to get a hold upon her fortune."

"I have no hold upon her fortune."

"Yes, sir, you have. You do not advance two thousand pounds without
knowing that you have security. She has rejected you; and in order
that you may be revenged, or that you may have some further hold
upon her,--that she may be in some sort within your power, you have
contrived this rascally pettifogging way of obtaining power over her
income. The money shall be repaid at once, with any interest that can
be due; and if I find you interfering again, I will expose you."

"Mr Vavasor," said Grey very slowly, in a low tone of voice, but with
something in his eye which would have told any bystander that he was
much in earnest, "you have used words in your anger which I cannot
allow to p