"
"I don't believe it, madam."
"That is polite, sir. Come, Mr. Fountain, you are agitated and cross,
and it is no use being cross either with me or with Lucy. You asked my
co-operation. You gentlemen can ask anything; and you are wise to do
these droll things; that is where you gain the advantage over us poor
cowards of women. Well, I will co-operate with you. Now listen. Lucy's
_penchant_ is neither for Mr. Hardie, nor Mr. Talboys, but for
Mr. Dodd."
"You don't mean it?"
"Oh, she does not care _much_ for him; she has refused him to my
knowledge, and would again; besides, he is gone to India, so there is
an end of _him._ She seems a little languid and out of spirits;
it may be because he _is_ gone. Now, then, is the very time to
press a marriage upon her."
"The very worst time, surely, if she is really such an idiot as to be
fretting for a fellow who is away."
Mrs. Bazalgette informed her new ally condescendingly that he knew
nothing of the sex he had undertaken to tackle.
"When a cold-blooded girl like this, who has no strong attachment, is
out of spirits, and all that sort of thing, then is the time she falls
to any resolute wooer. She will yield if we both insist, and we
_will_ insist. Only keep your temper, and let nothing tempt you
to say an unkind word to her."
She then rang the bell, and desired that Miss Fountain might be
requested to come into the drawing-room for a minute.
"But what are you going to do?"
"Give her the choice of two husbands--Mr.
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