"Just say the word, and the
girls shall come up and see you as they used to do." Mr. Prosper thought
at the moment that one of the girls was going to marry Joe Thoroughbung,
and that he would not wish to see her. "As for myself, if I've been in
any way negligent, I can only say that I did not intend it. I do not
like to say more, because it would seem as though I were asking you for
money."
"I don't know why you shouldn't ask me."
"A man doesn't like to do that. But I'd tell you of everything if you'd
only let me."
"What is there to tell?" said Uncle Prosper, knowing well that the
love-story would be communicated to him.
"I've got myself engaged to marry a young woman."
"A young woman!"
"Yes;--she's a young woman, of course; but she's a young lady as well.
You know her name: it is Florence Mountjoy."
"That is the young lady that I've heard of. Was there not some other
gentleman attached to her?"
"There was;--her cousin, Mountjoy Scarborough."
"His father wrote to me."
"His father is the meanest fellow I ever met."
"And he himself came to me,--down here. They were fighting your battle
for you."
"I'm much obliged to them. For I have even interfered with him about
the lady."
Then Harry had to repeat his _veni, vidi, vici_ after his own fashion.
Pages:
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776
777
778
779
780
781
782
783
784
785
786
787
788