'He wouldn't take the trouble to go to Liverpool with you.'

'He got tipsy. I know all about that. I don't mean to say that he's
anything particularly grand. I don't know that anybody is very grand.
He's as good as anybody else.'

'It can't be done, Marie.'

'Why can't it be done?'

'There are a dozen reasons. Why should my money be given up to him?
And it is too late. There are other things to be thought of now than
marriage.'

'You don't want me to sign the papers?'

'No;--I haven't got the papers. But I want you to remember that the
money is mine and not yours. It may be that much may depend on you,
and that I shall have to trust to you for nearly everything. Do not
let me find myself deceived by my daughter.'

'I won't,--if you'll let me see Sir Felix Carbury once more.'

Then the father's pride again reasserted itself and he became angry.
'I tell you, you little fool, that it is out of the question. Why
cannot you believe me? Has your mother spoken to you about your
jewels? Get them packed up, so that you can carry them away in your
hand if we have to leave this suddenly. You are an idiot to think of
that young man. As you say, I don't know that any of them are very
good, but among them all he is about the worst. Go away and do as I
bid you.'

That afternoon the page in Welbeck Street came up to Lady Carbury and
told her that there was a young lady downstairs who wanted to see Sir
Felix. At this time the dominion of Sir Felix in his mother's house
had been much curtailed. His latch-key had been surreptitiously taken
away from him, and all messages brought for him reached his hands
through those of his mother. The plasters were not removed from his
face, so that he was still subject to that loss of self-assertion with
which we are told that hitherto dominant cocks become afflicted when
they have been daubed with mud. Lady Carbury asked sundry questions
about the lady, suspecting that Ruby Ruggles, of whom she had heard,
had come to seek her lover. The page could give no special
description, merely saying that the young lady wore a black veil. Lady
Carbury directed that the young lady should be shown into her own
presence,--and Marie Melmotte was ushered into the room. 'I dare say
you don't remember me, Lady Carbury,' Marie said. 'I am Marie
Melmotte.'

At first Lady Carbury had not recognized her visitor;--but she did so
before she replied. 'Yes, Miss Melmotte, I remember you.'

'Yes;--I am Mr Melmo