nother cab. Nobody ever is up before near nine, and I
don't think we shall be interrupted.'

'If the servants were to hear.'

'I don't think they'd tell. But if I was to be brought back again, I
should only tell papa that it was no good. He can't prevent me
marrying.'

'Won't your mother find out?'

'She never looks after anything. I don't think she'd tell if she
knew. Papa leads her such a life! Felix! I hope you won't be like
that.'--And she looked up into his face, and thought that it would be
impossible that he should be.

'I'm all right,' said Felix, feeling very uncomfortable at the time.
This great effort of his life was drawing very near. There had been a
pleasurable excitement in talking of running away with the great
heiress of the day, but now that the deed had to be executed,--and
executed after so novel and stupendous a fashion, he almost wished
that he had not undertaken it. It must have been much nicer when men
ran away with their heiresses only as far as Gretna Green. And even
Goldsheiner with Lady Julia had nothing of a job in comparison with
this which he was expected to perform. And then if they should be
wrong about the girl's fortune! He almost repented. He did repent, but
he had not the courage to recede. 'How about money though?' he said
hoarsely.

'You have got some?'

'I have just the two hundred pounds which your father paid me, and not
a shilling more. I don't see why he should keep my money, and not let
me have it back.'

'Look here,' said Marie, and she put her hand into her pocket. 'I told
you I thought I could get some. There is a cheque for two hundred and
fifty pounds. I had money of my own enough for the tickets.'

'And whose is this?' said Felix, taking the bit of paper with much
trepidation.

'It is papa's cheque. Mamma gets ever so many of them to carry on the
house and pay for things. But she gets so muddled about it that she
doesn't know what she pays and what she doesn't.' Felix looked at the
cheque and saw that it was payable to House or Bearer, and that it was
signed by Augustus Melmotte. 'If you take it to the bank you'll get
the money,' said Marie. 'Or shall I send Didon, and give you the money
on board the ship?'

Felix thought over the matter very anxiously. If he did go on the
journey he would much prefer to have the money in his own pocket. He
liked the feeling of having money in his pocket. Perhaps if Didon were
entrusted with the cheque she also would lik