"Yes, sir."
"That opinion of Sir Richard's in the Ahatualpaca Mining Company—I have not seen it, have I?"
"It's all ready, Mr. Furnival."
"I will look at it in five minutes. And now, my young friend, what can I do for you?"
It was quite clear from Mr. Furnival's tone and manner that he did not mean to devote much time to Lucius Mason, and that he was not generally anxious to hold any conversation with him on the subject in question. Such, indeed, was the case. Mr. Furnival was determined to pull Lady Mason out of the sea of trouble into which she had fallen, let the effort cost him what it might, but he did not wish to do so by the instrumentality, or even with the aid, of her son.
"Mr. Furnival," began Mason, "I want to ask your advice about these dreadful reports which are being spread on every side in Hamworth about my mother."
"If you will allow me then to say so, I think that the course which you should pursue is very simple. Indeed there is, I think, only one course which you can pursue with proper deference to your mother's feelings."
"And what is that, Mr. Furnival?"
"Do nothing, and say nothing. I fear from what I have heard that you have already done and said much more than was prudent."
"But how am I to hear such things as these spoken of my own mother?"