ence over
your mother; but you may have some. She asks my advice, but has not
the slightest idea of listening to it. I don't blame her for that; but
I am anxious, for the sake of--for the sake of the family.'

'I am sure you are.'

'Especially for your sake. You will never throw him over.'

'You would not ask me to throw him over.'

'But he may drag you into the mud. For his sake you have already been
taken into the house of that man Melmotte.'

'I do not think that I shall be injured by anything of that kind,'
said Henrietta drawing herself up.

'Pardon me if I seem to interfere.'

'Oh, no;--it is no interference from you.'

'Pardon me then if I am rough. To me it seems that an injury is done
to you if you are made to go to the house of such a one as this man.
Why does your mother seek his society? Not because she likes him; not
because she has any sympathy with him or his family;--but simply because
there is a rich daughter.'

'Everybody goes there, Mr Carbury.'

'Yes,--that is the excuse which everybody makes. Is that sufficient
reason for you to go to a man's house? Is there not another place, to
which we are told that a great many are going, simply because the road
has become thronged and fashionable? Have you no feeling that you
ought to choose your friends for certain reasons of your own? I admit
there is one reason here. They have a great deal of money, and it is
thought possible that he may get some of it by falsely swearing to a
girl that he loves her. After what you have heard, are the Melmottes
people with whom you would wish to be connected?'

'I don't know.'

'I do. I know very well. They are absolutely disgraceful. A social
connection with the first crossing-sweeper would be less
objectionable.' He spoke with a degree of energy of which he was
himself altogether unaware. He knit his brows, and his eyes flashed,
and his nostrils were extended. Of course she thought of his own offer
to herself. Of course, her mind at once conceived,--not that the
Melmotte connection could ever really affect him, for she felt sure
that she would never accept his offer,--but that he might think that he
would be so affected. Of course he resented the feeling which she thus
attributed to him. But, in truth, he was much too simple-minded for
any such complex idea. 'Felix,' he continued, 'has already descended
so far that I cannot pretend to be anxious as to what houses he may
frequent. But I should be sorry to th