'It was you, papa, who told me to go to the Melmottes.'
'That is not true. I wanted you to stay at Caversham. A Jew! an old fat Jew! Heavens and earth! that it should be possible that you should think of it! You;--my daughter,--that used to take such pride in yourself! Have you written to your mother?'
'I have.'
'It will kill her. It will simply kill her. And you are going home to-morrow?'
'I wrote to say so.'
'And there you must remain. I suppose I had better see the man and explain to him that it is utterly impossible. Heavens on earth;--a Jew! An old fat Jew! My daughter! I will take you down home myself to-morrow. What have I done that I should be punished by my children in this way?' The poor man had had rather a stormy interview with Dolly that morning. 'You had better leave this house to-day, and come to my hotel in Jermyn Street.'
'Oh, papa, I can't do that.'
'Why can't you do it? You can do it, and you shall do it. I will not have you see him again. I will see him. If you do not promise me to come, I will send for Lady Monogram and tell her that I will not permit you to meet Mr Brehgert at her house. I do wonder at her. A Jew! An old fat Jew!' Mr Longestaffe, putting up both his hands, walked about the room in despair.
She did consent, knowing that her father and Lady Monogram between them would be too strong for her. She had her things packed up, and in the course of the afternoon allowed herself to be carried away. She said one word to Lady Monogram before she went. 'Tell him that I was called away suddenly.'
'I will, my dear. I thought your papa would not like it.' The poor girl had not spirit sufficient to upbraid her friend; nor did it suit her now to acerbate an enemy. For the moment, at least, she must yield to everybody and everything. She spent a lonely evening with her father in a dull sitting-room in the hotel, hardly speaking or spoken to, and the following day she was taken down to Caversham. She believed that her father had seen Mr Brehgert in the morning of that day;--but he said no word to her, nor did she ask him any question.
That was on the day after Lady Monogram's party. Early in the evening, just as the gentlemen were coming up from the dining-room, Mr Brehgert, apparelled with much elegance, made his appearance. Lady Monogram received him with a sweet smile. 'Miss Longestaffe,' she said, 'has left me and gone to her father.'