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'But you said you had accepted some offer'

'You don't suppose I wrote the letter?'

'It was your handwriting, Felix'

'Of course it was I copied just what he put down He'd have sent you clean ahere I couldn't have got near you if I hadn't written it'

'And you have accepted nothing?'

'Not at all As it is, he owes ave hi froot the cheque for £200

'Nobody ever does who gives papa hter

'Don't they? Dearbetter than a downright quarrel'

'I wouldn't have written it, if it had been ever so'

'It's no good scolding, Marie I did it for the best What do you think we'd best do now?' Marie looked at him, almost with scorn Surely it was for him to propose and for her to yield 'I wonder whether you're right about that money which you say is settled'

'I'm quite sure Ma away,--that it was done so that thereAnd papa toldfrom time to time; and of course I said I would But of course I won't,--if I should have a husband ofthe matter, with his hands in his trousers pockets He entertained those very fears which had latterly fallen upon Lord Nidderdale There would be no 'cropper' which a man could 'come' so bad as would be his cropper were he to marry Marie Mel! And, were he now to run off with Marie, after having written that letter, the father would certainly not forgive him This assurance of Marie's as to the settled aer! And in that case he would certainly get neither his £800, nor the shares And if he were true to Melmotte, Melmotte would probably supply hiirl at his elbow, and he no ive her up, than he dared to tell Melement Some half promise would be the only escape for the present 'What are you thinking of, Felix?' she asked