Lady Hester paid no attention to the Viscount's moralizings. Shame indignant shame monopolized all her feelings.
“Well,” said she, at last, “I believe it must be so. I cannot endure this any longer. Jekyl has behaved shamefully; and George I 'll never forgive. They ought to have taken care of all this. And now, Norwood, to procure the money what is to be done?”
“Here 's the patent treasury for pocket use the 'Young Man's Best Companion,'” said he, taking out of a black morocco case three or four blank bill-stamps, together with a mass of acceptances of various kinds, the proceeds of various play debts, the majority of which he well knew to be valueless. “What amount will be sufficient, how much shall we draw for?” said he, seating himself, pen in hand, at the table.
“I cannot even guess,” said she, trembling with embarrassment and confusion. “There are all these people's accounts and letters. I suppose they are all horrid cheats. I 'm sure I never got half the things, and that the rest are already paid for. But no matter now; let us have done with them at any cost.”
“'Morlandi, coachmaker' pretty well for Signer Morlandi!” said Norwood “eleven hundred scudi for repairs to carriages for destroying your patent axles, and replacing English varnish by the lacquer of a tea-tray something less than two hundred and fifty pounds!”
“He is an obliging creature,” said Lady Hester, “and always punctual.”
“In that case we 'll deal generously with him. He shall have half his money, if he gives a receipt in full.”
“'Legendre, coiffeur; eight thousand francs.' Pas mal, Monsieur Legendre! kid gloves and perfumes, Madonna bands and Macassar oil, are costly things to deal in.”
“That is really iniquitous,” said Lady Hester. “I see every bouquet is put down at a hundred francs!”
“A conservatory, at that rate, is better property than a coal-mine. Shall we say one thousand francs for this honest coiffeur?”