chair suddenly, "if there
were money to be made by it, I believe that he would murder you
without scruple." Thus it was that within eighteen months of her
marriage the father spoke to his daughter of her husband.

"What am I to take with me?" she said to her husband a few days
later.

"You had better ask your father."

"Why should I ask him, Ferdinand? How should he know?"

"And how should I?"

"I should have thought that you would interest yourself about it."

"Upon my word I have enough to interest me just at present, without
thinking of your finery. I suppose you mean what clothes you should
have?"

"I was not thinking of myself only."

"You need think of nothing else. Ask him what he pleases to allow you
to spend, and then I will tell you what to get."

"I will never ask him for anything, Ferdinand."

"Then you may go without anything. You might as well do it at once,
for you will have to do it sooner or later. Or, if you please, go
to his tradesmen and say nothing to him about it. They will give
you credit. You see how it is, my dear. He has cheated me in a most
rascally manner. He has allowed me to marry his daughter, and because
I did not make a bargain with him as another man would have done, he
denies me the fortune I had a right to expect with you. You know that
the Israelites despoiled the Egyptians, and it was taken as a merit
on their part. Your father is an Egyptian to me, and I will despoil
him. You can tell him that I say so if you please."

And so the days went on till the first week of February had passed,
and Parliament had met. Both Lopez and his wife were still living in
Manchester Square. Not another word had been said as to that notice
to quit, nor an allusion made to it. It was supposed to be a settled
thing that Lopez was to start with his wife for Guatemala in the
first week in April. Mr. Wharton had himself felt that difficulty
as to his daughter's outfit, and had told her that she might get
whatever it pleased her on his credit. "For yourself, my dear."

"Papa, I will get nothing till he bids me."

"But you can't go across the world without anything. What are you to
do in such a place as that unless you have the things you want?"

"What do poor people do who have to go? What should I do if you had
cast me off because of my disobedience?"

"But I have not cast you off."

"Tell him that you will give him so much, and then, if he bids me, I
will spend it."

"Let it be so.