While this was going on Lady Laura took Phineas apart for a moment.
"I am so much obliged to you; I am indeed," she said.
"What nonsense!"
"Never mind whether it's nonsense or not;--but I am. I can't explain
it all now, but I do so want you to know my brother. You may be of
the greatest service to him,--of the very greatest. He is not half so
bad as people say he is. In many ways he is very good,--very good.
And he is very clever."
"At any rate I will think and believe no ill of him."
"Just so;--do not believe evil of him,--not more evil than you see. I
am so anxious,--so very anxious to try to put him on his legs, and I
find it so difficult to get any connecting link with him. Papa will
not speak with him,--because of money."
"But he is friends with you."
"Yes; I think he loves me. I saw how distasteful it was to you to go
to him;--and probably you were engaged?"
"One can always get off those sort of things if there is an object."
"Yes;--just so. And the object was to oblige me;--was it not?"
"Of course it was. But I must go now. We are to hear Daubeny's
statement at four, and I would not miss it for worlds."
"I wonder whether you would go abroad with my brother in the autumn?
But I have no right to think of such a thing;--have I? At any rate
I will not think of it yet.
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