'He don't trouble me much, ma'am, and I don't trouble him much.' After this Lady Carbury said no more as to her son's position in the city. She endeavoured to open various other subjects of conversation; but she found Mr Melmotte to be heavy on her hands. After a while she had to abandon him in despair, and give herself up to raptures in favour of Protestantism at the bidding of the Caversham parson, who sat on the other side of her, and who had been worked to enthusiasm by some mention of Father Barham's name.
Opposite to her, or nearly so, sat Sir Felix and his love. 'I have told mamma,' Marie had whispered, as she walked in to dinner with him. She was now full of the idea so common to girls who are engaged,--and as natural as it is common,--that she might tell everything to her lover.
'Did she say anything?' he asked. Then Marie had to take her place and arrange her dress before she could reply to him. 'As to her, I suppose it does not matter what she says, does it?'
'She said a great deal. She thinks that papa will think you are not rich enough. Hush! Talk about something else, or people will hear.' So much she had been able to say during the bustle.
Felix was not at all anxious to talk about his love, and changed the subject very willingly. 'Have you been riding?' he asked.
'No; I don't think there are horses here,--not for visitors, that is. How did you get home? Did you have any adventures?'
'None at all,' said Felix, remembering Ruby Ruggles. 'I just rode home quietly. I go to town to-morrow.'
'And we go on Wednesday. Mind you come and see us before long.' This she said bringing her voice down to a whisper.
'Of course I shall. I suppose I'd better go to your father in the city. Does he go every day?'
'Oh yes, every day. He's back always about seven. Sometimes he's good-natured enough when he comes back, but sometimes he's very cross. He's best just after dinner. But it's so hard to get to him then. Lord Alfred is almost always there; and then other people come, and they play cards. I think the city will be best.'
'You'll stick to it?' he asked.
'Oh, yes;--indeed I will. Now that I've once said it nothing will ever turn me. I think papa knows that.' Felix looked at her as she said this, and thought that he saw more in her countenance than he had ever read there before. Perhaps she would consent to run away with him; and, if so, being the only child, she would certainly,--almost certainly, --be forgiven. But if he were to run away with her and marry her, and then find that she were not forgiven, and that Melmotte allowed her to starve without a shilling of fortune, where would he be then? Looking at the matter in all its bearings, considering among other things the trouble and the expense of such a measure, he thought that he could not afford to run away with her.