XIV

e,andnotlesscruelbecausehehadbroughtitonhimself.Thatheshouldhavethoughthecouldrunawayaswellasanymanismerelyaproofofhissinglenessofsoul.Amanwhodoesthatsuccessfullyisalways,amongagreatmanyotherthings,amanwhotakesplentyofmoneywithhimandknowsexactlywheretoputhishandonmorewhenitiswanted.Fritzinghadthoughtitbettertogetawayquicklywithlittlemoneythantowaitandgetawaywithmore.Hehadseizedallhecouldofhisownthatwasnotinvested,andPriscillahaddrawnherloosecashfromtheKunitzbankbutwhathetookhiddeninhisgaitersafterpayingforPriscilla'soutfitandbribingAnnalisewasnotmorethanthreehundredpoundsandwhatisthreehundredpoundstoapersonwhobuysandfurnishescottagesandscattersfive-poundnotesamongthepoor?Thecottageswerepaidfor.Hehadinsistedondoingthatatonce,chieflyinordertoclosehisdealingswithMr.DawsonbutMr.Dawsonhadnotletthemgoforlessthanahundredandfiftyforthetwo,inspiteofTussie'shavingsaidahundredwasenough.WhenFritzingtoldMr.DawsonwhatTussiehadsaidMr.DawsonsoonprovedthatTussiecouldnotpossiblyhavemeantitandFritzing,knowinghowrichPriscillareallywasandwhatvastsavingshehadhimselflyingoverinGermanyincomfortablesecurities,paidhimwithoutarguingandhastenedfromthehatedpresence.ThenthejourneyforthethreefromKunitzhadbeenexpensivethestayatBaker'sFarmhadbeen,strangetosay,expensiveMrs.Jones'scomfortinghadbeenexpensivethevillagemothershadtwiceemptiedPriscilla'spurseoftenpoundsandthetreattotheSymfordchildrenhadnotbeencheap.Afterpayingforthis—theMineheadconfectionerturnedouttobeamanoflittlefaithinunknownforeigners,andinsistedonbeingpaidatonce—Fritzinghadaboutfortypoundsleft.This,hehadthought,woulddoforfoodandlightsandthingsforalongwhile,—certainlytillhehadhitonaplanbywhichhewouldbeabletogetholdofthePrincess'smoneyandhisownwithoutbetrayingwheretheywereandhereonhistable,thesecondunpleasantsurprisethatgreetedhimonenteringhisnewhome(thefirsthadbeenhislatemaster'sdreadfulsmile)wasthebillforthefurnishingofit.Toamanpossessedofonlyfortypoundsanybillwillseemtremendous.Thisonewasfornearlytwohundredandattheendofthelonglistofitems,thebiggestofwhichwasthatbathroomwithoutwaterthathadsentAnnaliseoutonstrike,wastheinformationthataremittancewouldoblige.Aremittance!PoorFritzing.Hecrushedthepaperinhishandandmadecausticmentalcommentsontheindecencyofthesepeople,clamouringfortheirmoneyalmostbeforethelastworkmanwasoutoftheplace,certainlybeforethesmellofpaintwasoutofit,andclamouring,too,inthefaceoftheShuttleworthcountenanceandsupport.HehadnotbeenaweekyetinSymford,andhadbeensobusy,sorushed,thathehadputoffthinkingoutaplanforgettinghismoneyoverfromGermanyuntilheshouldbesettled.Neverhadheimaginedpeoplewoulddemandpaymentinthismanner.Never,either,hadheimaginedthePrincesswouldwantsomuchmoneyforthepoorandnever,ofcourse,hadheimaginedthattherewouldbeachildren'streatwithinthreedaysoftheirarrival.Leastofallhadhedreamedth