“Well and happy; here are my despatches.” And he laid on the table several letters, the first the Knight had received since his arrival, save a few hurried lines from Lady Eleanor. Darcy broke the envelopes, and skimmed the contents of each.
“How good!” cried he, handing Lord Netherby's letter across the table; “this is really amusing!”
“I have seen it,” said Daly, dryly. “Lady Eleanor asked my opinion as to what answer she should make.”
“Insolent old miser!” broke in Darcy, who, without attending to Daly's remark, had been reading Lady Eleanor's account of Dr. Hickman's proposal. “I say, Bagenal, you 'll not believe this. What social earthquakes are we to look for next? Read that.” And with a trembling hand he presented the letter to Daly.
If the Knight's passion had been more openly displayed, Daly's indignation seemed to evoke deeper emotion, for his brows met, and his stern lips were clenched, as he perused the lines.
“Darcy,” said he, at length, “O'Reilly must apologize for this; he must be made to disavow any share in the old man's impertinence—”
“No, no,” interrupted Darcy, “never speak of it again; rest assured that Lady Eleanor received the offer suitably. The best thing we can do is to forget it. If,” added he, after a pause, “the daring that prompted such a proposition has not a deeper foundation than mere presumption. You know these Hickmans have purchased up my bonds and other securities?”
“I heard as much.”
“Well, Gleeson is making arrangements for the payment. One large sum, something like £20,000—”
“Was paid the day before yesterday,” said Daly; “here is a memorandum of the moneys.”