cean to another was worthy of the nearest
approach to divinity that had been granted to men? Old Splinter
chuckled and gabbled as he heard this, and declared that there was not
wit enough left now even among the Paides Pallados to understand a
shaft of irony. There could be no doubt, however, at the time, that
the world did not go with old Splinter, and that the article served to
enhance the value of shares in the great railway enterprise.

Lady Carbury was sure that the article was intended to write up the
railway, and took great joy in it. She entertained in her brain a
somewhat confused notion that if she could only bestir herself in the
right direction and could induce her son to open his eyes to his own
advantage, very great things might be achieved, so that wealth might
become his handmaid and luxury the habit and the right of his life. He
was the beloved and the accepted suitor of Marie Melmotte. He was a
Director of this great company, sitting at the same board with the
great commercial hero. He was the handsomest young man in London. And
he was a baronet. Very wild Ideas occurred to her. Should she take Mr
Alf into her entire confidence? If Melmotte and Alf could be brought
together what might they not do? Alf could write up Melmotte, and
Melmotte could shower shares upon Alf. And if Melmotte would come and
be smiled upon by herself, be flattered as she thought that she could
flatter him, be told that he was a god, and have that passage about
the divinity of joining ocean to ocean construed to him as she could
construe it, would not the great man become plastic under her hands?
And if, while this was a-doing, Felix would run away with Marie, could
not forgiveness be made easy? And her creative mind ranged still
farther. Mr Broune might help, and even Mr Booker. To such a one as
Melmotte, a man doing great things through the force of the confidence
placed in him by the world at large, the freely-spoken support of the
Press would be everything. Who would not buy shares in a railway as to
which Mr Broune and Mr Alf would combine in saying that it was managed
by 'divinity'? Her thoughts were rather hazy, but from day to day she
worked hard to make them clear to herself.

On the Sunday afternoon Mr Booker called on her and talked to her
about the article. She did not say much to Mr Booker as to her own
connection with Mr Melmotte, telling herself that prudence was
essential in the present emergency. But she listene