"I could think of no other way, and I knew that Ivan had had his share."
"So you imagined you could finish her ruin. My God! how low you are. I suppose the thought of trying to put her on her feet again never entered your head."
"I was to marry one of George's daughters, and then, of course, I should have done what I could."
"She is well out of it; for I presume that, now, you will no longer be a desirable match?"
"I suppose not."
Again I caught a crafty gleam in his eye.
"Prince Alexis," I said, "listen to me, you have a little, very little, of the same blood as mine; for that reason alone, I intend to pay your debts to the amount of thirty thousand, no more. Had you shown one spark of feeling for Rudarlia, I should have given you a pension. As it is, I shall not; but, that you may have a clean start, I will give you another thirty thousand in addition. Take my advice and invest it; try and live decently and honourably."
He would have taken my hand in the extravagance of his joy; but I avoided it. It was one thing to give alms to a blood relation, but another to take the hand of a vile cur such as he was.
I wrote then and there a cheque for the promised amount, and handed it to him.
"You may refer your Semitic friends to me. The sum of thirty thousand will not be increased by a penny."