"The subject is stale," she replied; "and is one to be taken to my lord. I know nothing of the money."
"You know something of the spending of it, Lavinia."
"My husband knows more."
"I have to speak of your husband, too."
"You ask me of the two things of which I know the least—my husband and my money."
"You must come to know more of both. I am not the rich man I was since the bank at Amsterdam failed, and your husband has had more money of me than would sound credible."
"More than we have had value for, eh?" asked the Countess. "This grand marriage of mine was a poor bargain, my father."
"Where is your effort to make it a good one?" he retorted. "We are of no more account than we ever were—you spend, spend, spend, and what do you get for it? Your husband is the talk of the town; he has entered the Ministry with our money, his mother lives like a princess, he is courted, flattered, and sought after; but who turns his head for you?"
"I have lived with my lord for a year without a scandal," she answered; "and that is something to my credit."