第192章

The Member of Parliament had, of course, heard of the journey to Ostend from his wife, and had been instigated by her to express an opinion that the young people ought to be married. "It is such a very serious thing", said Augusta to her husband, "to be four hours on the sea together! And then you know -- !" Mr Traffick acknowledged that it was serious, and was reminded by his wife that he, in the capacity of brother, was bound to interfere on his sister's behalf. "Papa, you know, understands nothing about these kind of things. You, with your family interest, and your seat in Parliament, ought to be able to arrange it." Mr Traffick probably knew how far his family interest and his seat in Parliament would avail. They had, at any rate, got him a wife with a large fortune. They were promising for him, still further, certain domiciliary advantages. He doubted whether he could do much for Batsby; but still he promised to try. If he could arrange these matters it might be that he would curry fresh favour with Sir Thomas by doing so. He therefore made it his business to encounter Captain Batsby on the Sunday afternoon at a club to which they both belonged. "So you have come back from your little trip?" said the Member of Parliament.

The Captain was not unwilling to discuss the question of their family relations with Mr Traffick. If anybody would have influence with Sir Thomas it might probably be Mr Traffick. "Yes; I have come back.""Without your bride."

"Without my bride -- as yet. That is a kind of undertaking in which a man is apt to run many dangers before he can carry it through.""I dare say. I never did anything of the kind myself. Of course you know that I am the young lady's brother-in-law.""Oh yes."

"And therefore you won't mind me speaking. Don't you think you ought to do something further?""Something further! By George, I should think so," said the Captain, exultingly. "I mean to do a great many things further. You don't suppose I am going to give it up?""You oughtn't, you know. When a man has taken a girl off with him in that way, he should go on with it. It's a deuced serious thing, you know.""It was his fault in coming after us."

"That was a matter of course. If he hadn't done it, I must. Ihave made the family my own, and, of course, must look after its honour." The noble scion of the house of Traffick, as he said this, showed by his countenance that he perfectly understood the duty which circumstances had imposed upon him.

"He made himself very rough, you know," said the Captain.

"I dare say he would."

"And said things -- well -- things which he ought not to have said.""In such a case as that a father may say pretty nearly what comes uppermost.""That was just it. He did say what came uppermost -- and very rough it was.""What does it matter?"

"Not much if he'd do as he ought to do now. As you are her brother-in-law, I'll tell you just how it stands. I have been to him and made a regular proposal.""Since you have been back?"

"Yes; the day before yesterday. And what do you think he says?""What does he say?"

"He gives his consent; only -- "

"Only what?"

"He won't give her a shilling! Such an idea, you know! As though she were to be punished after marriage for running away with the man she did marry.""Take your chance, Batsby," said the Member of Parliament.

"What chance?"

"Take your chance of the money. I'd have done it; only, of course, it was different with me. He was glad to catch me, and therefore the money was settled.""I've got a tidy income of my own, you know," said the Captain, thinking that he was entitled to be made more welcome as a son-in-law than the younger son of a peer who had no income.

"Take your chance," continued Traffick. "What on earth can a man like Tringle do with his money except give it to his children?

He is rough, as you say, but he is not hardhearted, nor yet stubborn.

I can do pretty nearly what I like with him.""Can you, though?"

"Yes; by smoothing him down the right way. You run your chance, and we'll get it all put right for you." The Captain hesitated, rubbing his head carefully to encourage the thoughts which were springing up within his bosom. The Honourable Mr Traffick might perhaps succeed in getting the affair put right, as he called it, in the interest rather of the elder than of the second daughter.

"I don't see how you can hesitate now, as you have been off with the girl," said Mr Traffick.

"I don't know about that. I should like to see the money settled.""There would have been nothing settled if you had married her at Ostend.""But I didn't," said the Captain. "I tell you what you might do. You might talk him over and make him a little more reasonable.

I should be ready tomorrow if he'd come forward.""What's the sum you want?"

"The same as yours, I suppose."

"That's out of the question," said Mr Traffick, shaking his head.

"Suppose we say sixty thousand pounds." Then after some chaffering on the subject it was decided between them that Mr Traffick should use his powerful influence with his father-in-law to give his daughter on her marriage -- say a hundred thousand pounds if it were possible, or sixty thousand pounds at the least.