“Thank you,” said Fledgeby, “you’re very complimentary to say so. I don’t mind trying him again, at your request. But of course I can’t answer for the consequences. Riah is a tough subject, and when he says he’ll do a thing, he’ll do it.”
“Exactly so,” cried Mrs. Lammle, “and when he says to you he’ll wait, he’ll wait.”
(“She is a devilish clever woman,” thought Fledgeby. “I didn’t see that opening, but she spies it out and cuts into it as soon as it’s made.”)
“In point of fact, dear Mr. Fledgeby,” Mrs. Lammle went on in a very interesting manner, “not to affect concealment of Alfred’s hopes, to you who are so much his friend, there is a distant break in his horizon.”
This figure of speech seemed rather mysterious to Fascination Fledgeby, who said, “There’s a what in his—eh?”
“Alfred, dear Mr. Fledgeby, discussed with me this very morning before he went out, some prospects he has, which might entirely change the aspect of his present troubles.”
“Really?” said Fledgeby.
“O yes!” Here Mrs. Lammle brought her handkerchief into play. “And you know, dear Mr. Fledgeby—you who study the human heart, and study the world—what an affliction it would be to lose position and to lose credit, when ability to tide over a very short time might save all appearances.”
“Oh!” said Fledgeby. “Then you think, Mrs. Lammle, that if Lammle got time, he wouldn’t burst up?—To use an expression,” Mr. Fledgeby apologetically explained, “which is adopted in the money market.”
“Indeed yes. Truly, truly, yes!”