His conscience, however, made its conditions. "My dear Longueville,"
Lovelock went on, "I have always gone in for family feeling, early
associations, and all that sort of thing. That 's what made me confide
my difficulties to Dovedale. But, upon my honor, you remind me of the
good Samaritan, or that sort of person; you are fonder of me than my own
brother! I 'll take fifty pounds with pleasure, thank you, and you
shall have them again--at the earliest opportunity. My earliest
convenience--will that do? Damn it, it is a convenience, is n't it? You
make your conditions. My dear fellow, I accept them in advance. That
I 'm not to follow up Miss Evers--is that what you mean? Have you been
commissioned by the family to buy me off? It 's devilish cruel to take
advantage of my poverty! Though I 'm poor, I 'm honest. But I am honest,
my dear Longueville; that 's the point. I 'll give you my word, and I
'll keep it. I won't go near that girl again--I won't think of her till
I 've got rid of your fifty pounds. It 's a dreadful encouragement to
extravagance, but that 's your lookout. I 'll stop for their beastly
races and the young lady shall be sacred."
Longueville called the next morning at Mrs. Vivian's, and learned that
the three ladies had left Baden by the early train, a couple of hours
before.
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