VIII

r—thenbegantolaugh,andgotup."Ifyouseeitsvaluesoclearly,"shesaid,"I'msureyouwon'tcaretotakeupanymoreofit." "Nay,madam,"saidFritzing,forcedtogetuptoo,"Iamhere,asIexplained,inyourowninterests—orratherinthoseofyourson,whoIhearisshortlytoattainhismajority.Thisyounggentlemanis,Itakeit,yourson?" Tussieassented. "Andthereforetheownerofthecottages?" "Whatcottages?"askedTussie,eagerly.HewasmanifestlysoviolentlyinterestedinMr.Neumann-Schultzthathismothercouldonlygazeathiminwonder.Heactuallyseemedtohangonthatoddperson'slips. "MydearTussie,Mr.Neumann-Schultzhasbeentryingtopersuademetosellhimthepairofcottagesupbythechurch,andIhavebeentryingtopersuadehimtobelievemewhenItellhimIwon't." "Butwhywon'tyou,mother?"askedTussie. LadyShuttleworthstaredathiminastonishment."Whywon'tI?DoIeversellcottages?" "Youresteemedparent'sreasonsforrefusing,"saidFritzing,"reasonswhichshehasgivenmewithabrevityaltogetherunusualinoneofhersexandwhichIcannotsufficientlycommend,domorecredit,aswastobeexpectedinalady,toherheartthantoherhead.Ihaveofferedtobuildtwonewhousesforthedisturbedinhabitantsofthese.Ihaveofferedtogiveheranyprice—anypriceatall,withinthelimitsofreason.Yourinterests,younggentleman,arewhatwillsufferifthisbusinessisnotconcludedbetweenus." "Doyouwantthemforyourself?"askedTussie. "Yes,sir,formyselfandformyniece." "Mother,whydoyourefusetodoalittlebusiness?" "Tussie,arewesopoor?" "AsfarasI'mconcerned,"saidTussieairilytoFritzing,"youmayhavethethingsandwelcome." "Tussie?" "Buttheyarenotworthmorethanaboutfiftypoundsapiece,andIadviseyounottogivemoreforthemthanthey'reworth.Aren'ttheyverysmall,though?Isn'tthereanyotherplacehereyou'dratherhave?" "Tussie?" "Doyoumindtellingmewhyyouwantthem?" "Youngman,toliveinthem." "Andwherearethepeopletolivewhoareinthemnow?"askedLadyShuttleworth,greatlyincensed. "Madam,Ipromisedyoutobuild." "Ohnonsense.Iwon'thavenewred-brickhorrorsabouttheplace.There'sthatnicegoodoldMrs.Shawinone,socleanandtidyalways,andtheshoemaker,averygoodmanexceptforhisenormousfamily,intheother.Iwillnotturnthemout." "Put'emintheemptylodgeatthenorthgate,"suggestedTussie."They'dbedelighted." LadyShuttleworthturnedangrilyonFritzing—shewasindeedgreatlyirritatedbyTussie'sunaccountablebehaviour."Whydon'tyoubuildforyourself?"sheasked. "Myniece