By-the-by,
Biffen will be profoundly grateful to you, I'm sure.'
'I'm doing what I can for him, too. Run your eye over these
slips.'
Whelpdale exhausted himself in terms of satisfaction.
'You deserve to get on, my dear fellow. In a few years you will
be the Aristarchus of our literary world.'
When the visitor rose to depart, Jasper said he would walk a
short distance with him. As soon as they had left the house, the
future Aristarchus made a confidential communication.
'It may interest you to know that my sister Maud is shortly to be
married.'
'Indeed! May I ask to whom?'
'A man you don't know. His name is Dolomore--a fellow in
society.'
'Rich, then, I hope?'
'Tolerably well-to-do. I dare say he has three or four thousand a
year!'
'Gracious heavens! Why, that's magnificent.'
But Whelpdale did not look quite so much satisfaction as his
words expressed.
'Is it to be soon?' he inquired.
'At the end of the season. Make no difference to Dora and me, of
course.'
'Oh? Really? No difference at all? You will let me come and see
you--both--just in the old way, Milvain?'
'Why the deuce shouldn't you?'
'To be sure, to be sure.
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