'Wait a moment, Undy,' said Alaric; 'listen to me for one moment. I can hear nothing till you do so, and then I will hear anything.'
'Well, what is it?'
We have each of us put something near to £5,000 into this venture.'
'I have put more,' said Scott.
'Very well. But we have each of us withdrawn a sum equal to that I have named from my ward's fortune for this purpose.'
'I deny that,' said Undy. 'I have taken nothing from your ward's fortune. I have had no power to do so. You have done as you pleased with that fortune. But I am ready to admit that I have borrowed £5,000—not from your ward, but from you.'
Alaric was nearly beside himself; but he still felt that he should have no chance of carrying his point if he lost his temper.
'That is ungenerous of you, Scott, to say the least of it; but we'll let that pass. To enable me to lend you the £5,000, and to enable me to join you in this speculation, £10,000 has been withdrawn from Clementina's fortune.'
'I know nothing about that,' said Scott.
'Know nothing about it!' said Alaric, looking at him with withering scorn. But Undy was not made of withering material, and did not care a straw for his friend's scorn.