“Another young person?” I said. “I won’t see her. In my state of health young persons disagree with me. Not at home.”
“It is a gentleman this time, sir.”
A gentleman of course made a difference. I looked at the card.
Gracious Heaven! my tiresome sister’s foreign husband, Count Fosco.
Is it necessary to say what my first impression was when I looked at my visitor’s card? Surely not! My sister having married a foreigner, there was but one impression that any man in his senses could possibly feel. Of course the Count had come to borrow money of me.
“Louis,” I said, “do you think he would go away if you gave him five shillings?”
Louis looked quite shocked. He surprised me inexpressibly by declaring that my sister’s foreign husband was dressed superbly, and looked the picture of prosperity. Under these circumstances my first impression altered to a certain extent. I now took it for granted that the Count had matrimonial difficulties