"One, sir, one at least"—this was, of course, the draper—"has ever been ready to acknowledge the tie of blood."
"I'm sure," said the pew-opener, "if Alice had come to my humble place, which she never did——"
"Never," her daughter added.
"—there'd have been a cup of tea made in no time, and a chair by the fire."
"You have among you"—John Haveril pointed to the bankrupt—"a cousin who is poor and distressed. What have you done for him? Which of you has helped this unfortunate man?"
"Not one," the unfortunate replied for all; while Charles regarded his fallen relation vindictively. "Not one," the bankrupt continued. "And now your guilty hearts are exposed and your greedy natures brought to light. Grabbers and grubbers—every one. And this to me—to me—Mr. Haveril, the only gentleman of the lot! What do they care about gentlemen?"
"You ask me, all of you, to help you with gifts or loans of money. On what pretence? Because I am your cousin's husband——"
"Cousin-John-by-marriage," said the pew-opener. "You took us over as your own when you married Alice. You married into the family. That you can't deny."
"If that is the reason why I am to help you, why don't you help this cousin?"
"Hear! hear!" from the cousin indicated.