'What's all this about?'
She tried to laugh as she tossed her head. 'What brings you here, I wonder? This is quite an unexpected compliment.'
'My being here doesn't matter. I can go anywhere without doing much harm. Why are you staying with these people?'
'Ask papa.'
'I don't suppose he sent you here?'
'That's just what he did do.'
'You needn't have come, I suppose, unless you liked it. Is it because they are none of them coming up?'
'Exactly that, Dolly. What a wonderful young man you are for guessing!'
'Don't you feel ashamed of yourself?'
'No;--not a bit.'
'Then I feel ashamed for you.'
'Everybody comes here.'
'No;--everybody does not come and stay here as you are doing. Everybody doesn't make themselves a part of the family. I have heard of nobody doing it except you. I thought you used to think so much of yourself.'
'I think as much of myself as ever I did,' said Georgiana, hardly able to restrain her tears.
'I can tell you nobody else will think much of you if you remain here. I could hardly believe it when Nidderdale told me.'
'What did he say, Dolly?'
'He didn't say much to me, but I could see what he thought. And of course everybody thinks the same. How you can like the people yourself is what I can't understand!'
'I don't like them,--I hate them.'
'Then why do you come and live with them?'
'Oh, Dolly, it is impossible to make you understand. A man is so different. You can go just where you please, and do what you like. And if you're short of money, people will give you credit. And you can live by yourself and all that sort of thing. How should you like to be shut up down at Caversham all the season?'
'I shouldn't mind it,--only for the governor.'
'You have got a property of your own. Your fortune is made for you. What is to become of me?'
'You mean about marrying?'
'I mean altogether,' said the poor girl, unable to be quite as explicit with her brother, as she had been with her father, and mother, and sister. 'Of course I have to think of myself.'
'I don't see how the Melmottes are to help you. The long and the short of it is, you oughtn't to be here. It's not often I interfere, but when I heard it I thought I'd come and tell you. I shall write to the governor, and tell him too. He should have known better.'