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May I speak to my brother-in-law about it?" Neergard turned in his tracks and looked almost at him. "Do you think there's any chance of his financing the thing?" "I haven't the slightest idea of what he might do. Especially" he hesitated "as you never have had any loans from his people I understand " "No," said Neergard; "I haven't." "It's rather out of their usual, I believe " "So they say.
Austin had just come in, and he looked up from his solitary cup of tea as they entered: "Hello, youngsters! What conspiracy are you up to now? I suppose you sniffed the tea and have come to deprive me. By the way, Phil, I hear that you've sprung the trap on those Siowitha people." "Neergard has, I believe." "Well, isn't it all one?"
"I don't think so," said Selwyn. "Lots of grippe 'round town," observed Neergard, as though satisfied that Gerald had it. Then he sat down and rubbed his large, membranous ears. "Captain Selwyn," he began, "I'm satisfied that it's a devilish good thing." "Are you?" "Emphatically. I've mastered the details virtually all of 'em.
Besides, he had every inclination to avoid her. He had learned his lesson. To whom then could he go? Through whom could he reach Gerald? Through Nina? Useless. And Gerald had already defied Austin. Through Neergard, then? But he was on no terms with Neergard; how could he go to him? Through Rosamund Fane? At the thought he made a wry face. Any advances from him she would wilfully misinterpret.
He had been treacherous to his club and to his own caste, and Neergard knew it and knew perfectly well that Ruthven dared not protest dared not even whimper. Then Neergard began to use Ruthven when he needed him; and he began to permit himself to win at cards in Ruthven's house a thing he had not dared to do before.
Fane, who had won his money very easily. For Neergard did not care how he got in, front door or back door, through kitchen or card-room, as long as he got in somehow.
It astonished and irritated him; it meant, instead of selfish or snobbish indifference to his own social ambitions, an enemy to block his entrance into what he desired the society of those made notorious in the columns of the daily press. For Neergard cared only for the notorious in the social scheme; nothing else appealed to him.
He looked at Ruthven, scarcely seeing him. Finally he gathered his thick legs under to support him as he rose, stupidly, looking about for his hat. Ruthven rang for a servant; when he came Neergard followed him without a word, small eyes vacant, the moisture powdering the ridge of his nose, his red blunt hands dangling as he walked. Behind him a lackey laughed.
On his thin nose the dew glistened, and his thick fat hands were hot; but Rosamund was too bored to be rude to him, and Alixe turned immediately to Gerald: "Yes, I did get your note, but I'm not at home on Tuesday. Can't you come wait a moment! what are you doing this afternoon?" "Why, I'm going back to the office with Mr. Neergard " "Nonsense! Oh, Mr.
And" he looked back from the door of his own apartments "I got Julius Neergard on the wire this afternoon and he'll dine with us." He gathered up his shimmering kimona, hesitated, halted, and again looked back. "When you're dressed," he drawled, "I've a word to say to you about the game to-night, and another about Gerald." "I shall not play," she retorted scornfully, "nor will Gerald."
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