If
it hadn't been for that, I should have paid you a hundred pounds
this morning.'
The Squire had laid down his knife and fork, and was staring at his
son in amazement, not being sufficiently quick of brain to form a
probable guess as to what could have caused so strange an inversion of
the paternal and filial relations as this proposition of his son to
pay him a hundred pounds.
'The truth is, sir- I'm very sorry- I was quite to blame,' said
Godfrey. 'Fowler did pay that hundred pounds. He paid it to me, when I
was over there one day last month. And Dunsey bothered me for the
money, and I let him have it, because I hoped I should be able to
pay it you before this.'
The Squire was purple with anger before his son had done
speaking, and found utterance difficult. 'You let Dunsey have it, sir?
And how long have you been so thick with Dunsey that you must collogue
with him to embezzle my money? Are you turning out a scamp? I tell
you, I won't have it. I'll turn the whole pack of you out of the house
together, and marry again. I'd have you to remember, sir, my
property's got no entail on it; since my grandfather's time the Casses
can do as they like with their land. Remember that, sir. Let Dunsey
have the money! Why should you let Dunsey have the money? There's some
lie at the bottom of it.'
'There's no lie, sir,' said Godfrey. 'I wouldn't have spent the
money myself, but Dunsey bothered me, and I was a fool and let him
have it.
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