But there was much that was quite
certain. The five thousand pounds were quite certain; and the
money, though it could not be called a large fortune for a young
lady, would pay his debts and send him out a free man to Patagonia.
And the family honours were certainly true. She was the undoubted
niece of the Duke of Mayfair, and such a connection might in his
career be of service to him. Lord Mistletoe was a prig, but would
probably be a member of the Government. Mounser Green liked Dukes,
and loved a Duchess in his heart of hearts. If he could only be
assured that this niece would not be repudiated he thought that the
speculation might answer in spite of any ambiguity in the lady's
antecedents.
"Have you heard about Arabella's good fortune?" young Glossop asked
the next morning at the office.
"You forget, my boy," said Mounser Green, "that the young lady of
whom you speak is a friend of mine:'
"Oh lord! So I did. I beg your pardon, old fellow." There was no
one else in the room at the moment, and Glossop in asking the
question had in truth forgotten what he had heard of this new
intimacy.
"Don't you learn to be ill-natured, Glossop. And remember that
there is no form so bad as that of calling young ladies by their
Christian names. I do know that poor Morton has left Miss Trefoil a
sum of money which is at any rate evidence that he thought well of
her to the last.
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