"
"That was entailed, Glossy, my boy."
"Not a bit of it. Everybody thought he would leave the place to
another Morton, a fellow he'd never seen, in one of those Somerset
House Offices. He and this fellow who is to have it, were
enemies,--but he wouldn't put it out of the right line. It's all
very well for Mounser to be down on me, but I do happen to know
what goes on in that country. She gets a pot of money, and no end
of family jewels; but he didn't leave her the estate as he might
have done."
At that moment Mounser Green came into the room. It was rather
later than usual, being past one o'clock; and he looked as though
he were flurried. He didn't speak for a few minutes, but stood
before the fire smoking a cigar. And there was a general silence,
there being now a feeling among them that Arabella Trefoil was not
to be talked about in the old way before Mounser Green. At last he
spoke himself. "I suppose you haven't heard who is to go to
Patagonia after all?"
"Is it settled?" asked Currie.
"Anybody we know?" asked Hoffmann.
"I hope it's no d-- outsider," said the too energetic Glossop.
"It is settled; and it is somebody you know; and it is not a d--
outsider; unless, indeed, he may be considered to be an outsider in
reference to that branch of the service."
"It's some consul," said Currie.
Pages:
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656
657
658
659
660
661
662
663
664
665
666
667