"
"Of course I am. He has secured one mourner. He might have died to all
eternity if he hadn't nailed me first. See how selfish men are, and
bad-hearted into the bargain. I believe that young fellow had been to
a doctor, and found out he was booked in spite of his mahogany cheeks;
so then he rides out here and wheedles an unguarded friend--I'm
wired--I'm trapped--I'm snared."
Lucy set herself to soothe her injured relative. "You must say to
yourself, _'C'est un petit matheur.'"_
"Tell myself a falsehood? What shall I gain by that? Let me tell you,
it is these minor troubles that send a man to Bedlam. One breeds
another, till they swarm and buzz you distracted, and sting you dead.
_'Petit maiheur!'_ it is a greater one than you have ever
encountered since you have been under _my_ wing."
"It is, dear, it is; but I hope to encounter much greater ones before
I am your age."
"The deuce you do!"
"Or else I shall die without ever having lived--a vegetable, not a
human being."
"Bombast! a 'flower' your lovers will call you."
"And men of sense a 'weed.' But don't let us discuss me. What I wish
to know is the nature of your annoyance, dear." He explained to her
with a groan that he should have to wind up all the affairs of an
estate of 8,000 pounds a year, pay the annual and other encumbrances,
etc., etc.
"Well, but, dear, you will be quite at home in this, you have such a
turn for business."
"For my own," shrieked the old bachelor, angrily, "not for other
people's.
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