So you see, Sir Vavasour, I am not
unreasonable. Pah! I would sooner gain five thousand pounds
by restoring you to your rights, than fifty thousand in
establishing any of these pretenders in their base
assumptions. I must work in my craft, Sir Vavasour, but I
love the old English blood, and have it in my veins."
"I am satisfied, Mr Hatton." said Sir Vavasour: "let no time
be lost. All I regret is, that you did not mention all this
to me before; and then we might have saved a great deal of
trouble and expence."
"You never consulted me," said Mr Hatton. "You gave me your
instructions, and I obeyed them. I was sorry to see you in
that mind, for to speak frankly, and I am sure now you will
not be offended, my lord, for such is your real dignity, there
is no title in the world for which I have such a contempt as
that of a baronet."
Sir Vavasour winced, but the future was full of glory and the
present of excitement; and he wished Mr Hatton good morning,
with a promise that he would himself bring the papers on the
morrow.
Mr Hatton was buried for a few moments in a reverie, during
which he played with the tail of the Persian cat.
Book 4 Chapter 8
We left Sybil and Egremont just at the moment that Gerard
arrived at the very threshold which they had themselves
reached.
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