But, nevertheless,
she was true to her friendship, and was almost as willing to endure
fatigue on the occasion as though she had a sister-in-law's right
in the house. At about one o'clock her brother came. He had not yet
seen Miss Dunstable since the offer had been made, and had now with
difficulty been persuaded by his sister to show himself.
"What can be the use?" said he. "The game is up with me now;"
--meaning, poor ruined ne'er-do-well, not only that that game
with Miss Dunstable was up, but that the great game of his whole life
was being brought to an uncomfortable termination.
"Nonsense," said his sister; "do you mean to despair because a man
like the Duke of Omnium wants his money? What has been good security
for him will be good security for another;" and then Mrs. Harold
Smith made herself more agreeable than ever to Miss Dunstable.
When Miss Dunstable was nearly worn out, but was still endeavouring
to buoy herself up by a hope of the still-expected great arrival--for
she knew that the hero would show himself only at a very late hour
if it were to be her good fortune that he showed himself at all--Mr.
Sowerby walked up the stairs. He had schooled himself to go through
this ordeal with all the cool effrontery which was at his command;
but it was clearly to be seen that all his effrontery did not stand
him in sufficient stead, and that the interview would have been
embarrassing had it not been for the genuine good-humour of the
lady.
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