Mr. Masters at once went up to his wife, having given himself a
minute or two to calculate that he would let Mary have twenty
pounds for the occasion,--and made his proposition. "I never heard
of such nonsense in my life," said Mrs. Masters.
"Nonsense,--my dear! Why should it be nonsense?"
"Cocking her up with Lady Ushant! What good will Lady Ushant do
her? She's not going to live with ladies of quality all her life."
"Why shouldn't she live with ladies?"
"You know what I mean, Gregory. The Mortons have dropped you, for
any use they were to you, long ago, and you may as well make up
your mind to drop them. You'll go on hankering after gentlefolks
till you've about ruined yourself."
When he remembered that he had that very morning received a
commission from Lord Rufford he thought that this was a little too
bad. But he was not now in a humour to make known to her this piece
of good news. "I like to feel that she has got friends," he said,
going back to Mary's proposed visit.
"Of course she has got friends, if she'll only take up with them as
she ought to do. Why does she go on shilly-shallying with that
young man, instead of closing upon it at once? If she did that she
wouldn't want such friends as Lady Ushant. Why did the girl come to
you with all this instead of asking me?"
"There would be a little money wanted.
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