e him a little
comfort to say that over again, as if to convince himself.

"As for Wodehouse, I partly understand what he has done," said the
Curate. "It appears likely that he has killed his father, by the way;
but I suppose you don't count that. It is forgery in the mean time; I
understand as much."

"It's my name as well as his, by Jove!" interrupted, hastily, the
stranger, under his breath.

"Such strong terms are unnecessary," said Jack; "everybody knows that
bills are drawn to be renewed, and nursed, and taken care of. We've
had a great failure in luck as it happens, and these ones have come
down to this deuced place; and the old fellow, instead of paying them
like a gentleman, has made a row, and dropped down dead, or something.
I suppose you don't know any more than the women have told you. The
old man made a row in the office, and went off in fire and flame, and
gave up our friend here to his partner's tender mercies. I sent for
you, as you've taken charge of him. I suppose you have your reasons.
This is an unlikely corner to find him in, and I suppose he couldn't
be safer anywhere. That's about the state of the case. I came down to
look after him, out of kind feeling," said the heir of the Wentworths.
"If you don't mean to eat any dinner, have a cigar."

"And what have you to do with each other? what is the connection
between you?" said the Curate of St Roque's. "I have my reasons, as
you say, for taking an interest in him--but you--"

"I am only your elder brother," said Jack, shrugging his shoulders and
resuming his place on the sofa. "We understand that difference.
Business connection--that's all," he said, leisurely selecting another
cigar from his case. When he had lighted it, he turned round and fixed
his eyes upon the stranger. "We don't want any harm to happen to him,"
he said, with a little emphasis. "I have come here to protect him. If
he keeps quiet and doesn't show, it will blow over. The keenest spy in
the place could scarcely suspect him to be here. I have come entirely
on his account--much to my own disgust--and yours," said the
exquisite, with another shrug. He laid back his head and looked up at
the ceiling, contemplating the fragrant wreaths of smoke with the air
of a man perfectly at his ease. "We don't mean him to come to any
harm," said Jack Wentworth, and stretched out his elegant limbs on the
sofa, like a potentate satisfied that his protection was enough to
make any man secure.