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Updated: May 24, 2025
"You be blowed," said Broughton, who had taken the arm-chair as soon as Musselboro had left it. "But you may believe me in the way of business," continued Musselboro, "when I tell you that it really does not suit us to renew the bill. We're pressed ourselves, and we must press others." "And who will do it for me?" said Crosbie, almost in despair.
"Six hundred pounds, I believe," said Mr Musselboro, looking straight before him as he answered, and pretending to treat the subject with perfect indifference. "Did he indeed, now? Six hundred pounds! And yet he hasn't got silver spoons. How things are changed! Tell me, Musselboro, who was that young man who came in with the painter?" Mr Musselboro turned round and asked Mrs Broughton.
She says that Musselboro must have the business, and that Dobbs must shift for himself elsewhere." "Do you believe that she has the power to decide that things shall go this way or that, as she pleases?" "How am I to know? She says so, and she says it is because he drinks. He does drink. That at least is true; but how can I help it? Oh, Conway, what am I to do?
"I don't think it was that," said Musselboro. "He meant to have had it out with her; but it wasn't that as brought this about. Perhaps you didn't know that he was clean ruined?" "She had told me." "Then she knew it?" "Oh, yes; she knew that. Mrs Van Siever had told her. Poor creature! How are we to break this to her?" "You and she are very thick," said Musselboro. "I suppose you'll do it best."
Something is wrong." Then it occurred to him that Musselboro had been sent to the house to tell the wife of the husband's ruin. "The servant told me that I should find you upstairs," said Musselboro. "Yes; I have been painting here. For some time past I have been doing a picture of Miss Van Siever. Mrs Van Siever has been here to-day."
Miss Van Siever was out, and had been out when Mr Musselboro had called, but was expected in every minute. Conway therefore said that he would call again, and on returning found Clara alone. She had not then heard a word of the fate of Dobbs Broughton. Of course she would go at once to Mrs Broughton, and if necessary stay with her during the night.
Then he made his way out into Lombard Street, and Mrs Van Siever picked her steps across the yard, and mounted the stairs, and made her way into the room in which Mr Musselboro was sitting. "Somebody's been smoking, Gus," she said, almost as soon as she had entered the room. "That's nothing new here," he replied, as he got up from his chair.
Now she was about to throw herself into the absolute power of a man who was nearly a stranger to her! But she did love him, as she had never loved any one else; and then, on the other side, there was Mr Musselboro! Dalrymple went upstairs for an hour, and Clara did not see him again before he left the house.
And there was a broad, short counter which jutted out from the wall into the middle of the room, intended for the use of such of the public as might come to transact miscellaneous business with Dobbs Broughton or Augustus Musselboro. But any one accustomed to the look of offices might have seen with half an eye that very little business was ever done on that counter.
Mr Adolphus Crosbie, secretary to the Board at the General Committee Office, was standing on the rug before the fire. "Who will be there?" Eames had asked of his friend, when the suggestion to go and dine with Dobbs Broughton had been made to him. "Impossible to say," Conway had replied. "A certain horrible fellow of the name of Musselboro, will almost certainly be there.
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