第49章

A LOVER'S PERSEVERANCE.

Ferdinand Lopez learned immediately through Mrs Roby that the early departure for Hertfordshire had been fixed.'I should go to him and speak to him very plainly,' said Mrs Roby.'He can't bite you.'

'I'm not in the least afraid of his biting me.'

'You can talk so well! I should tell him everything, especially about money,--which I'm sure is all right.'

'Yes,--that is all right,' said Lopez, smiling.

'And about your people.'

'Which, I've no doubt you think is all wrong.'

'I don't know anything about it,' said Mrs Roby, 'and I don't much care.He has old-world notions.At any rate you should say something, so that he should not be able to complain to her that you had kept him in the dark.If there is anything to be known, it's much better to have it known.'

'But there is nothing to be known.'

'Then tell him nothing;--but still tell it to him.After that you must trust to her.I don't suppose she'd go off with you.'

'I'm sure she wouldn't.'

'But she's as obstinate as a mule.She'll get the better of him if you really mean it.' He assured her that he really did mean it, and determined that he would take her advice as to seeing, or endeavouring to see, Mr Wharton once again.But before doing so he thought it to be expedient to put his house in order, so that he might be able to make a statement of his affairs if asked to do so.Whether they were flourishing or the reverse, it might be necessary that he should have to speak of them,--with, at any rate, apparent candour.

The reader may, perhaps, remember that in the month of April Ferdinand Lopez had managed to extract a certain signature from his unfortunate city friend, Sexty Parker, which made that gentleman responsible for the payment of a considerable sum of money before the end of July.The transaction had been one of unmixed painful nature to Mr Parker.As soon as he came to think of it, after Lopez had left him, he could not prevail upon himself to forgive himself for his folly.That he,--he, Sextus Parker,--should have been induced by a few empty words to give his name for seven hundred and fifty pounds without any consideration or possibility of benefit! And the more he thought of it the more sure he was that the money was lost.The next day he confirmed his own fears, and before a week was gone he had written down the sum as gone.He told nobody.He did not like to confess his folly.But he made some inquiry about his friend, --which was absolutely futile.No one that he knew seemed to know anything of the man's affairs.But he saw his friend from time to time in the city, shining as only successful men do shine, and he heard of him as one whose name was becoming known in the city.Still he suffered grievously.His money was surely gone.A man does not fly a kite in that fashion till things with him have reached a bad pass.

So it was with Mr Parker all through May and to the end of June, the load ever growing heavier and heavier as the time became nearer.Then, while he was still afflicted with a heaviness of spirits which had never left him since that fatal day, who but Ferdinand Lopez should walk into his office, wearing the gayest smile and with a hat splendid as hats are splendid only in the city.And nothing could be more 'jolly' than his friend's manner,--so much so that Sexty was almost lifted up into temporary jollity himself.Lopez, seating himself almost at once began to describe a certain speculation into which he was going rather deeply, and as to which he invited his friend Parker's co-operation.He was intending, evidently, not to ask, but to confer a favour.

'I rather think that steady business is best,' said Parker.'Ihope it's all right about the 750 pounds.'