was over. Then Sir Felix had gone, promising to
come again on the following evening. 'You must not come here, Sir
Felix,' said Mrs Pipkin, 'unless you puts it in writing.' To this, of
course, Sir Felix made no answer. As he went home he congratulated
himself on the success of his adventure. Perhaps the best thing he
could do when he had realized the money for the shares would be to
take Ruby for a tour abroad. The money would last for three or four
months,--and three or four months ahead was almost an eternity.

That afternoon before dinner he found his sister alone in the
drawing-room. Lady Carbury had gone to her own room after hearing the
distressing story of Paul Montague's love, and had not seen Hetta
since. Hetta was melancholy, thinking of her mother's hard words,--
thinking perhaps of Paul's poverty as declared by her mother, and of
the ages which might have to wear themselves out before she could
become his wife; but still tinting all her thoughts with a rosy hue
because of the love which had been declared to her. She could not but
be happy if he really loved her. And she,--as she had told him that she
loved him,--would be true to him through everything! In her present
mood she could not speak of herself to her brother, but she took the
opportunity of making good the promise which Marie Melmotte had
extracted from her. She gave him some short account of the party, and
told him that she had talked with Marie. 'I promised to give you a
message,' she said.

'It's all of no use now,' said Felix.

'But I must tell you what she said. I think, you know, that she really
loves you.'

'But what's the good of it? A man can't marry a girl when all the
policemen in the country are dodging her.'

'She wants you to let her know what,--what you intend to do. If you
mean to give her up, I think you should tell her.'

'How can I tell her? I don't suppose they would let her receive a
letter.'

'Shall I write to her;--or shall I see her?'

'Just as you like. I don't care.'

'Felix, you are very heartless.'

'I don't suppose I'm much worse than other men;--or for the matter of
that, worse than a great many women either. You all of you here put me
up to marry her.'

'I never put you up to it.'

'Mother did. And now because it did not go off all serene, I am to
hear nothing but reproaches. Of course I never cared so very much
about her.'

'Oh, Felix, that is so shocking!'

'Awfully shocking, I dare say. You think