"You have undeceived me!—I own to it. I believe, if I know anything, it is human nature. I have not been a deep student in other things, but in the heart of man I have read deeply. I know your whole history in this affair as well as if I was present at the events. You never intended seduction here."
"Nothing of the kind, my Lord,—never dreamed of it!"
"I know it; I know it. She got an influence over you,—she fascinated you,—she held you captive, Dodd. She mingled in your thoughts,—she became part of all your most secret cogitations. With that warm, impulsive nature of your country, you made no resistance,—you could make none. You fell into the net at once,—don't deny it I like you the better for it,—upon my life I do. Don't suppose that I 'm Archbishop of Canterbury or Dean of Durham, man."
"I don't suspect, in the least," said I.
"I'm no humbug of that kind," said be, resolutely. "I'm a man of the world, that just takes life as he finds it, and neither fancies that human nature is one jot better or worse than it is. Hampton goes and marries a girl of sixteen; she is very beautiful and very rich. What of that? She leaves him—and what becomes of the wealth and beauty? She is ruined,—utterly ruined! He has his action at law, and gets swingeing damages, of course. What's the use of that? Will twenty thousand—will forty—would a hundred thousand pounds serve to compensate him for a lost position in life, and the affection of that charming creature? You know it would not, sir. Don't affect hesitation nor doubt about it You know it would not."
"That was n't what I was thinking of at all, my Lord. I was only speculating on the mighty small chance your friend would have of the money."
"Do you mean to say, sir, that the jury would n't give it?"
"Theory might, but Kenny Dodd wouldn't," said I.
"The Queen's Bench, sir, or the Court of Exchequer, would take care of that. They 'd issue a 'Mandamus,'—the strongest weapon of our law; they'd sell to the last stick of your property; they'd take your wife's jewels,—the coat off your back—"
"As to the jewels of Mrs. D.," says I, "and my own wardrobe, I 'm afraid they 'd not go far towards the liquidation."