imus should no longer eat and drink as an inhabitant of his
house.

"He'd do his duty by her as a man should do," said Traffick,
determined to ignore the disagreeable subject.

"Very well. There she is."

"But of course he would like to hear something about money."

"Would he?"

"That's only natural."

"You found it so,--did you not? What's the good of giving a girl
money when her husband won't spend it. Perhaps this Captain Batsby
would expect to live at Queen's Gate or Merle Park."

It was impossible to go on enduring this without notice. Mr.
Traffick, however, only frowned and shook his head. It was clear
at last that Sir Thomas intended to be more than rough, and it was
almost imperative upon Mr. Traffick to be rough in return. "I am
endeavouring to do my duty by the family," he said.

"Oh indeed."

"Gertrude has eloped with this man, and the thing is talked about
everywhere. Augusta feels it very much."

"She does, does she?"

"And I have thought it right to ask his intentions."

"He didn't knock you down, or anything of that sort?"

"Knock me down?"

"For interfering. But he hasn't pluck for that. Houston would have
done it immediately. And I should have said he was right. But if you
have got anything to say, you had better say it. When you have done,
then I shall have something to say."

"I've told him that he couldn't expect as much as you would have
given her but for this running away."

"You told him that?"

"Yes; I told him that. Then some sum had to be mentioned. He
suggested a hundred thousand pounds."

"How very modest. Why should he have put up with less than you,
seeing that he has got something of his own?"

"He hasn't my position, Sir. You know that well enough. Now to make a
long and short of it, I suggested sixty."

"Out of your own pocket?"

"Not exactly."

"But out of mine?"

"You're her father, and I suppose you intend to provide for her."

"And you have come here to dictate to me the provision which I am to
make for my own child! That is an amount of impudence which I did not
expect even from you. But suppose that I agree to the terms. Will he,
do you think, consent to have a clause put into the settlement?"

"What clause?"

"Something that shall bind him to keep a house for his own wife's
use, so that he should not take my money and then come and live upon
me afterwards."

"Sir Thomas," said the Member of Parliament, "that is a mode of
expression so uncourt