"Naturally! Not that I like pâté de foie gras. They torture the geese to get it, I believe, and it seems cruel to eat it."
"You have a tender heart," said Kaimes, sarcastically.
"It has been my ruin. But this trouble----" She harked back again to the one subject which occupied her thoughts. "Will you see the Duke, and ask him to give us--say--er--er--well, two thousand pounds?"
"No, I won't. You'll only waste it."
"That's so like you parsons," said Lady Jim snappishly: "we ask for bread, and you give us a stone."
"Two thousand pounds' worth of bread is a trifle too much to ask for."
"Not at all, I always ask for twice what I hope to get. But here we are on the other side of the water. I can't take the machine into your dirty little slums. Get down."
Lionel did so, and stepped on to the pavement. "Thank you for the drive," said he, lifting his soft hat.
Lady Jim nodded vaguely. "Won't you speak to the Duke?"
Kaimes hesitated. He did not wish to appear churlish; yet it seemed useless to interfere. "The Duke is very independent," he explained; "I don't think he'll listen to me."