'
'What would you do?'
'Leave her alone. Let her find out gradually that what she wants
can't be done.'
'And so linger on for years,' said Lady Mabel reproachfully.
'I say nothing about that. The man is my friend.'
'And you ought to be proud of him.'
'I never knew anybody yet who was proud of his friends. I like him
well enough, but I can quite understand that the governor should
object.'
'Yes, we all know that,' said she sadly.
'What would your father say if you wanted to marry someone who
hadn't a shilling?'
'I should object myself,--without waiting for my father. But then,--
neither have I a shilling. If I had money, do you think I wouldn't
like to give it to the man I loved?'
'But this is a case of giving somebody else's money. They won't
make her give it up by bringing such a young ass as that down
here. If my father has persistency enough to let her cry her eyes
out, he'll succeed.'
'And break her heart. Could you do that?'
'Certainly not. But then I'm soft. I can't refuse.'
'Can't you?'
'Not if the person who asks me is in my good books.
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