Dr Thorne sat still and listened.  He had no idea what the condition might be, but he was not prepared to promise acquiescence till he heard it.

‘You know what I told you once before,’ said the baronet.

‘I don’t remember at this moment.’

‘About my getting married, you know.’

The doctor’s brow grew black, and promised no help to the poor wretch.  Bad in every way, wretched, selfish, sensual, unfeeling, purse-proud, ignorant as Sir Louis Scatcherd was still, there was left to him the power of feeling something like sincere love.  It may be presumed that he did love Mary Thorne, and that he was at the time earnest in declaring that if she could be given to him, he would endeavour to live according to her uncle’s counsel.  It was only a trifle he asked; but, alas! that trifle could not be vouchsafed.

’I should much approve of your getting married, but I do not know how I can help you.’

‘Of course, I mean Miss Mary:  I do love her; I really do, Dr Thorne.’

’It is quite impossible, Sir Louis; quite.  You do my niece much honour; but I am able to answer for her, positively, that such a proposition is quite out of the question.’

‘Look here now, Dr Thorne; anything in the way of settlements—­’

’I will not hear a word on the subject:  you are very welcome to the use of my house as long as it may suit you to remain here; but I must insist that my niece shall not be troubled on this matter.’

‘Do you mean to say she’s in love with that young Gresham?’

This was too much for the doctor’s patience.  ‘Sir Louis,’ said he, ’I can forgive you much for your father’s sake.  I can also forgive something on the score of your own ill-health.  But you ought to know, you ought by this time to have learnt, that there are some things which a man cannot forgive.  I will not talk to you about my niece; and remember this, also, I will not have her troubled by you:’  and, so saying, the doctor left him.

On the next day the baronet was sufficiently recovered to be able to resume his braggadocio airs.  He swore at Janet; insisted on being served by his own man; demanded in a loud voice, but in vain, that his liqueur-case should be restored to him; and desired that post-horses might be ready for him on the morrow.  On that day he got up and ate his dinner in his bedroom.  On the next morning he countermanded the horses, informing the doctor that he did so because he had little bit of business to transact with Squire Gresham before he left the place!  With some difficulty, the doctor made him understand that the squire would not see him on business; and it was at last decided, that Mr Gazebee should be invited to call on him at the doctor’s house; and this Mr Gazebee agreed to do, in order to prevent the annoyance of having the baronet up at Greshamsbury.

On this day, the evening before Mr Gazebee’s visit, Sir Louis condescended to come down to dinner.  He dined, however, tete-a-tete with the doctor.  Mary was not there, nor was anything said as to her absence.  Sir Louis Scatcherd never set eyes upon her again.