' There! What do you think
of that? Isn't he a grand fellow?"
"He is a grand fellow," said Peake, with emphasis, reflecting that the
total income of the minister could not exceed three hundred a year.
"So you see you'll _have_ to give your hundred," Mrs Lovatt continued.
"You can't do otherwise after that."
There was a pause.
"I won't give it," said Peake. "I've said I won't, and I won't."
He could think of no argument. To repeat that Eardley's bankruptcy would
cost him dear seemed trivial. Nevertheless, the absence of any plausible
argument served only to steel his resolution.
At that moment the servant opened the door.
"Mr Titus Blackhurst, senior, to see you, sir."
Peake and his wife looked at one another in amazement, and Sneyd laughed
quietly.
"He told me he should come up," Mrs Lovatt explained.
"Show him into the breakfast-room, Clara," said Mrs Peake to the
servant.
Peake frowned angrily as he crossed the hall, but as he opened the
breakfast-room door he contrived to straighten out his face into a
semblance of urbanity. Though he could have enjoyed accelerating the
passage of his visitor into the street, there were excellent commercial
reasons why he should adopt a less strenuous means towards the end which
he had determined to gain.
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