the City Road
Music-Hall, his mind was ever in Grosvenor Square. 'Who was it, Ruby?'

'A friend of the Squire's, a Mr Montague. I used to see him about in
Bungay and Beccles.'

'Paul Montague!'

'Do you know him, Felix?'

'Well;--rather. He's a member of our club, and I see him constantly in
the city--and I know him at home.'

'Is he nice?'

'Well;--that depends on what you call nice. He's a prig of a fellow.'

'He's got a lady friend where I live.'

'The devil he has!' Sir Felix of course had heard of Roger Carbury's
suit to his sister, and of the opposition to this suit on the part of
Hetta, which was supposed to have been occasioned by her preference
for Paul Montague. 'Who is she, Ruby?'

'Well;--she's a Mrs Hurtle. Such a stunning woman! Aunt says she's an
American. She's got lots of money.'

'Is Montague going to marry her?'

'Oh dear yes. It's all arranged. Mr Montague comes quite regular to
see her;--not so regular as he ought, though. When gentlemen are fixed
as they're to be married, they never are regular afterwards. I wonder
whether it'll be the same with you?'

'Wasn't John Crumb regular, Ruby?'

'Bother John Crumb! That wasn't none of my doings. Oh, he'd been
regular enough, if I'd let him; he'd been like clockwork,--only the
slowest clock out. But Mr Montague has been and told the Squire as he
saw me. He told me so himself. The Squire's coming about John Crumb. I
know that. What am I to tell him, Felix?'

'Tell him to mind his own business. He can't do anything to you.'

'No;--he can't do nothing. I ain't done nothing wrong, and he can't
send for the police to have me took back to Sheep's Acre. But he can
talk,--and he can look. I ain't one of those, Felix, as don't mind about
their characters,--so don't you think it. Shall I tell him as I'm with
you?'

'Gracious goodness, no! What would you say that for?'

'I didn't know. I must say something.'

'Tell him you're nothing to him.'

'But aunt will be letting on about my being out late o'nights; I know
she will. And who am I with? He'll be asking that.'

'Your aunt does not know?'

'No;--I've told nobody yet. But it won't do to go on like that, you
know,--will it? You don't want it to go on always like that;--do you?'

'It's very jolly, I think.'

'It ain't jolly for me. Of course, Felix, I like to be with you.
That's jolly. But I have to mind them brats all the day, and to be
doing the bedrooms. And that's not the worst of it