You
don't answer?"
"But, worthy Hycy, what if Maria should reject you--discard you--give
you to the winds?--eh?"
"Even in that case, provided you support me honestly, I shall hold
myself bound to keep my engagement with you, and put M'Mahon out as a
beggar."
"What! as a beggar?"
"Ay, as a beggar; and then no blame could possibly attach to you for
succeeding him, and certainly no suspicion."
"Hum! as a beggar. But the poor fellow never offended me. Confound it,
he never offended me, nor any one else as far as I know. I don't much
relish that, Hycy."
"It cannot be done though in any other way."
"I say--how do you call that girl?--Jenny, or Peggy, or Molly, or what?"
"I wish to heaven you could be serious, Harry. If not, I shall drop the
subject altogether."
"There now--proceed, O Hyacinthus."
"How can I proceed, when you won't pay attention to me; or, what is
more, to your own interests?"
"Oh! my own interests!--well I am alive to them."
"Is it a bargain, then?"
"It is a bargain, most ingenuous, most subtle, and most conscientious
Hycy! Enable me to enter upon the farm of Ahadarra--to get possession of
it--and calculate upon my most--let me see--what's the best word--most
strenuous advocacy. That's it: there's my hand upon it. I shall support
you, Hycy; but, at the same time, you must not hold me accountable for
my sister's conduct.
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