"
"You know what I advise," said Mrs. Smith. "Ask Miss Dunstable to
advance the money on the same security which the duke holds. She will
be as safe then as he is now. And if you can arrange that, stand for
the county against him; perhaps you may be beaten."
"I shouldn't have a chance."
"But it would show that you are not a creature in the duke's hands.
That's my advice," said Mrs. Smith, with much spirit; "and if you
wish, I'll broach it to Miss Dunstable, and ask her to get her lawyer
to look into it."
"If I had done this before I had run my head into that other
absurdity!"
"Don't fret yourself about that; she will lose nothing by such an
investment, and therefore you are not asking any favour of her.
Besides, did she not make the offer? and she is just the woman to do
this for you now, because she refused to do that other thing for you
yesterday. You understand most things, Nathaniel; but I am not sure
that you understand women; not, at any rate, such a woman as her." It
went against the grain with Mr. Sowerby, this seeking of pecuniary
assistance from the very woman whose hand he had attempted to gain
about a fortnight since; but he allowed his sister to prevail. What
could any man do in such straits that would not go against the grain?
At the present moment he felt in his mind an infinite hatred against
the duke, Mr.
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