nd found Hetta
alone. 'Mamma has gone to her publisher's,' she said. 'She is writing
so much now that she is always going there. Who has been elected, Mr
Montague?' Paul knew nothing about the election, and cared very
little. At that time, however, the election had not been decided. 'I
suppose it will make no difference to you whether your chairman be in
Parliament or not?' Paul said that Melmotte was no longer a chairman
of his. 'Are you out of it altogether, Mr Montague?' Yes;--as far as
it lay within his power to be out of it, he was out of it. He did not
like Mr Melmotte, nor believe in him. Then with considerable warmth he
repudiated all connection with the Melmotte party, expressing deep
regret that circumstances had driven him for a time into that
alliance. 'Then you think that Mr Melmotte is--?'

'Just a scoundrel;--that's all.'

'You heard about Felix?'

'Of course I heard that he was to marry the girl, and that he tried to
run off with her. I don't know much about it. They say that Lord
Nidderdale is to marry her now.'

'I think not, Mr Montague.'

'I hope not, for his sake. At any rate, your brother is well out of
it.'

'Do you know that she loves Felix? There is no pretence about that. I
do think she is good. The other night at the party she spoke to me.'

'You went to the party, then?'

'Yes;--I could not refuse to go when mamma chose to take me. And when
I was there she spoke to me about Felix. I don't think she will marry
Lord Nidderdale. Poor girl;--I do pity her. Think what a downfall it
will be if anything happens.'

But Paul Montague had certainly not come there with the intention of
discussing Melmotte's affairs, nor could he afford to lose the
opportunity which chance had given him. He was off with one love, and
now he thought that he might be on with the other. 'Hetta,' he said,
'I am thinking more of myself than of her,--or even of Felix.'

'I suppose we all do think more of ourselves than of other people,'
said Hetta, who knew from his voice at once what it was in his mind to
do.

'Yes;--but I am not thinking of myself only. I am thinking of myself,
and you. In all my thoughts of myself I am thinking of you too.'

'I do not know why you should do that.'

'Hetta, you must know that I love you.'

'Do you?' she said. Of course she knew it. And of course she thought
that he was equally sure of her love. Had he chosen to read signs that
ought to have been plain enough to him, could