"Yes, of course; and lots of tin here, too. I fancy fellows don't like to waste money only to hold their own; but, egad, if it comes to be a pull at the long purse, all the worse for them," threw in the Baronet.
"And their intending, you know, to set up this marriage," continued the attorney without minding; "and that Herbert Strangways being over here with the young pretender, as we call him, under his wing; and Strangways is a deuced clever fellow, and takes devilish sound view of a case when he lays his mind to it. It was he that reopened that great bankruptcy case of Onslow and Grawley, you remember."
Sir Jekyl assented, but did not remember.
"And a devilish able bit of chess-play that was on both sides--no end of concealed property--brought nearly sixty thousand pounds into the fund, egad! The creditors passed a vote, you remember--spoke very handsomely of him. Monstrous able fellow, egad!"
"A monstrous able fellow he'll be if he gets my property, egad! It seems to me you Pelter and Crowe are half in love with him," said Sir Jekyl, flushed and peevish.
"We'll hit him a hard knock or two yet, for all that--ha, ha!--or I'm mistaken," rejoined old Mr. Pelter.
"Do you know him?" inquired Sir Jekyl; and the servant at the same time appearing in answer to his previous summons, he said--
"Go to the parlour and tell Mr. Doocey--you know _quietly_--that I am detained by business, but that we'll join them in a little time in the drawing-room."
So the servant, with a reverence, departed.
"Just a little. Seven years ago, when I was at Havre, he was stopping there too. A very gentlemanlike man--sat beside him twice at the table d'hôte. I could see he knew d--d well who I was--wide awake, very agreeable man, very--wonderful well-informed. Wonderful ups and downs that fellow's had--clever fellow--ha, ha, ha!--I mentioned you, Sir Jekyl; I wanted to hear if he'd say anything--fishing, hey? Old file, you know"--and the attorney winked and grinned agreeably at Sir Jekyl. "Capital claret this--cap-i-tal, by Jupiter! It came in natural enough. We were talking of England, you see. He was asking questions; and so, talking of country gentlemen, and county influence, and parliamentary life, you know, I brought in _you_, and asked him if he knew Sir Jekyl Marlowe." Another wink and a grin here. "I asked, a bit suddenly, you know, to see how he'd take it. Did not show, egad! more than that decanter--ha, ha, ha!--devilish cool dog--monstrous clever fellow--not a bit; and he said he did not know you--had not that honour; but he knew a great deal of you, and he spoke very handsomely--upon my honour--quite au--au--handsomely of you, he did."