‘I don’t know about that, Mr Melmotte.’

’Why not?  You’re not so weak as to surrender all your settled projects for such a piece of folly as that!  He didn’t even see her all the time.’

‘That wasn’t her fault.’

‘The money will all be there, Lord Nidderdale.’

’The money’s all right, I’ve no doubt.  And there isn’t a man in all London would be better pleased to settle down with a good income than I would.  But, by Jove, it’s a rather strong order when a girl has just run away with another man.  Everybody knows it.’

‘In three months’ time everybody will have forgotten it.’

’To tell you the truth, sir...