Something of the effect which
Melmotte's false confessions had had upon Lord Nidderdale, they now
also had on Dolly Longestaffe. 'I'll ask Squercum, you know,' he said.

'Of course Mr Squercum will act as you instruct him,' said Bideawhile.

'I'll ask Squercum. I'll go to him at once. I can't do any more than
that. And upon my word, Mr Melmotte, you've given me a great deal of
trouble.'

Melmotte with a smile apologized. Then it was settled that they three
should meet in that very room on Friday at noon, and that the payment
should then be made,--Dolly stipulating that as his father would be
attended by Bideawhile, so would he be attended by Squercum. To this
Mr Longestaffe senior yielded with a very bad grace.

CHAPTER LXXVI - HETTA AND HER LOVER

Lady Carbury was at this time so miserable in regard to her son that
she found herself unable to be active as she would otherwise have been
in her endeavours to separate Paul Montague and her daughter. Roger
had come up to town and given his opinion, very freely at any rate
with regard to Sir Felix. But Roger had immediately returned to
Suffolk, and the poor mother in want of assistance and consolation
turned naturally to Mr Broune, who came to see her for a few minutes
almost every evening. It had now become almost a part of Mr Broune's
life to see Lady Carbury once in the day. She told him of the two
propositions which Roger had made: first, that she should fix her
residence in some second-rate French or German town, and that Sir
Felix should be made to go with her; and, secondly, that she should
take possession of Carbury manor for six months. 'And where would Mr
Carbury go?' asked Mr Broune.

'He's so good that he doesn't care what he does with himself. There's
a cottage on the place, he says, that he would move to.' Mr Broune
shook his head. Mr Broune did not think that an offer so quixotically
generous as this should be accepted. As to the German or French town,
Mr Broune said that the plan was no doubt feasible, but he doubted
whether the thing to be achieved was worth the terrible sacrifice
demanded. He was inclined to think that Sir Felix should go to the
colonies. 'That he might drink himself to death,' said Lady Carbury,
who now had no secrets from Mr Broune. Sir Felix in the meantime was
still in the doctor's hands upstairs. He had no doubt been very
severely thrashed, but there was not in truth very much ailing him
beyond the cuts on his face. He w