rdale,' continued Mr Melmotte, addressing
himself to Sir Felix. 'As that is arranged, you will perhaps think it
better to leave us. I shall be happy to renew my acquaintance with you
as soon as the fact is recognized;--or happy to see you in the city at
any time.'

'Papa, he is my lover,' said Marie.

'Pooh!'

'It is not pooh. He is. I will never have any other. I hate Lord
Nidderdale; and as for that dreadful old man, I could not bear to look
at him. Sir Felix is as good a gentleman as he is. If you loved me,
papa, you would not want to make me unhappy all my life.'

Her father walked up to her rapidly with his hand raised, and she
clung only the closer to her lover's arm. At this moment Sir Felix did
not know what he might best do, but he thoroughly wished himself out
in the square. 'Jade,' said Melmotte, 'get to your room.'

'Of course I will go to bed, if you tell me, papa.'

'I do tell you. How dare you take hold of him in that way before me!
Have you no idea of disgrace?'

'I am not disgraced. It is not more disgraceful to love him than that
other man. Oh, papa, don't. You hurt me. I am going.' He took her by
the arm and dragged her to the door, and then thrust her out.

'I am very sorry, Mr Melmotte,' said Sir Felix, 'to have had a hand in
causing this disturbance.'

'Go away, and don't come back any more;--that's all. You can't both
marry her. All you have got to understand is this. I'm not the man to
give my daughter a single shilling if she marries against my consent.
By the God that hears me, Sir Felix, she shall not have one shilling.
But look you,--if you'll give this up, I shall be proud to co-operate
with you in anything you may wish to have done in the city.'

After this Sir Felix left the room, went down the stairs, had the door
opened for him, and was ushered into the square. But as he went
through the hall a woman managed to shove a note into his hand which
he read as soon as he found himself under a gas lamp. It was dated
that morning, and had therefore no reference to the fray which had
just taken place. It ran as follows:

I hope you will come to-night. There is something I cannot tell you
then, but you ought to know it. When we were in France papa thought
it wise to settle a lot of money on me. I don't know how much, but
I suppose it was enough to live on if other things went wrong. He
never talked to me about it, but I know it was done. And it hasn't
been undone,