"Oswald," said the father, "I have sent for you because I think it
may be as well to speak to you on some business. Will you sit down?"
Lord Chiltern sat down, but did not answer a word. "I feel very
unhappy about your sister's fortune," said the Earl.
"So do I,--very unhappy. We can raise the money between us, and pay
her to-morrow, if you please it."
"It was in opposition to my advice that she paid your debts."
"And in opposition to mine too."
"I told her that I would not pay them, and were I to give her back
to-morrow, as you say, the money that she has so used, I should be
stultifying myself. But I will do so on one condition. I will join
with you in raising the money for your sister, on one condition."
"What is that?"
"Laura tells me,--indeed she has told me often,--that you are
attached to Violet Effingham."
"But Violet Effingham, my lord, is unhappily not attached to me."
"I do not know how that may be. Of course I cannot say. I have never
taken the liberty of interrogating her upon the subject."
"Even you, my lord, could hardly have done that."
"What do you mean by that? I say that I never have," said the Earl,
angrily.
"I simply mean that even you could hardly have asked Miss Effingham
such a question.
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