“What! this mistress of whom you are so fond?”
“Ay! there is the curse! I cannot help being fond of her: and that she knows, and plays me off as she pleases. But I believe the little jilt loves me all the time: because she has offers enough, and from men of the first fashion, if she would leave me. She is certainly a good girl; but then so passionate!”
“I thought you told me she was good-humoured,” interrupted his cousin.
“Well, so she is, at times, the best humoured creature in nature; and then she is charming: but when she falls into a passion, she is a little fury! absolutely a little devil! There is nothing she would not do. Now, do you know, all this terrible business, this execution against me, is her doing?”
“A singular proof of love!” said Mr. William Darford.
“Oh, the fool loves me, notwithstanding; I must do her that justice: but she is quite a child. I put her into a passion, by going down to Leicestershire when she wanted me to stay with her in town. She told me she would be revenged; but I could not believe she would go such lengths. She gave a note of mine, for two hundred guineas, to her uncle; and he got a writ. Now she is in despair about it; I saw her two hours ago all in tears, and tearing her hair, because her uncle won’t consent to withdraw the execution. I am sure she is really and truly sorry; and would give her eyes to get me out of this scrape.”
“Whether she would give her eyes or not, I will not pretend to determine; but it is plain she would not pay two hundred guineas ‘to get you out of this scrape.’ Now, where do you intend to get the money?”
“Ah, there’s the rub! I have not a farthing, till our next rents come in; and you see these heaps of bills. Then the agent, who manages every thing, Heaven knows how! at Germaine-park, says tenants are breaking; that we are, I do not know how much, in his debt, and that we must sell; but that, if we sell in a hurry, and if our distress be talked of, we shall get nothing for the land, and so shall be ruined outright. Now, this all originates in Mrs. Germaine’s pride and positiveness: she never could be prevailed upon to go down to Germaine-park, these ten years past, because some of the Northamptonshire people affronted her: so our affairs have gone on just as the agent pleases; and he is a rascal, I am convinced, for he is always writing to say we are in his debt. But, indeed, my dear William, you are too good to take any interest in this history of my affairs: I am conscious that I have not treated you well.”
“Do not talk of that now: do not think of it, Charles,” interrupted Mr. Darford. “I am come to town on purpose to be of all the service to you I can. I will discharge this writ upon one, and only upon one, condition.”
“Upon any condition you please,” cried Charles. “I will give you my bond. I will give you security upon the Germaine estate, if you require it.”