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ow?"shesaidatlast. "Yesma'am,wecanandwemust.IwillproceedthiseveningtoSymfordHallandborrowofAugustus." "No,"saidPriscillasosuddenlyandsoenergeticallythatFritzingstarted. "No,ma'am?"herepeated,astonished."Why,heistheveryperson.Infactheisouronlyhope.Hemustandshallhelpus." "No,"repeatedPriscilla,stillmoreenergetically. "Prayma'am,"saidFritzing,shrugginghisshoulders,"arethesewomen'swhims—InevercomprehendedthemrightlyanddoubtifIevershall—aretheytobeallowedtoleadusevenindangerouscrises?Toleadustocertainshipwreck,ma'am?Thealternativesinthiscasearethree.Permitmetopointthemout.EitherwereturntoKunitz—" "Oh,"shiveredPriscilla,shrinkingasfromablow. "Or,afterabriefperiodofstarvationandotherviolentdiscomfort,wearecastintogaolfordebt—" "Oh?"shiveredPriscilla,intonesofterrifiedinquiry. "Or,IborrowofAugustus." "No,"saidPriscilla,justasenergeticallyasbefore. "Augustusiswealthy.Augustusiswilling.Ma'am,Iwouldstakemysoulthatheiswilling." "Youshallnotborrowofhim,"saidPriscilla."He—he'stooill." "Wellthen,ma'am,"saidFritzingwithagestureofextremeexasperation,"sinceyoucannotbeallowedtobecastintogaolthereremainsbutKunitz.LikethedogsoftheScriptureswewillreturn—" "Whynotborrowofthevicar?"interruptedPriscilla."Surelyhewouldbegladtohelpanyoneindifficulties?" "Ofthevicar?What,ofthefatheroftheyoungmanwhoinsultedyourGrandDucalHighnessandwhomIproposetokillinduelmyfirstleisuremoment?Ma'am,therearedepthsofinfamytowhichevenadesperatemanwillnotdescend." Priscilladugholesinthetableclothwiththepointofthepencil."Ican'tconceive,"shesaid,"whyyougaveAnnaliseallthatmoney.Somuch." "Why,ma'am,sherefused,unlessIdid,toprepareyourGrandDucalHighness'stea." "OhFritzi!"Priscillalookedupathim,shakingherheadandsmilingthroughallhertroubles.Waseversomuchloveandsomuchfollyunitedinonewiseoldman?Wasever,forthatmatter,soexpensiveatea? "IadmitIpermittedtheimmediate,thepassing,momenttoblotoutthefuturefrommyclearervisiononthatoccasion." "Onthatoccasion?OhFritzi.Whataboutalltheotheroccasions?WhenyougavemeallIaskedfor—forthepoorpeople,formyparty.Youmusthavesufferedtorturesofanxiety.Andallbyyourself.OhFritzi.Itwasdearofyou—perfectly,wonderfully,dear.Butyououghttohavebeendifferentwithmefromthebeginning—treatedmeexactlyasyouwouldhavetreatedarealniece—" "Ma'am,"criedFritzing,jumpingup,"thisiswasteoftime.Ourcaseisveryurgent.Moneymustbeobtained.Youmustallowmetojudgeinthismatter,howeverillIhaveacquittedmyselfuptonow.IshallstartatonceforSymfordHallandobtainaloanofAugustus." Priscillapushedbackherchairandgotuptoo."MydearFritzi,pleaseleavethatunfortunateyoungmanoutofthequestion,"shesaid,flushing."Howcanyouworryapersonwhoisillinbedwithsuchthings?" "Hismotherisnotillinbedandwilldoquiteaswell.Iamcertainlygoing." "Youarenotgoing.Iwon'thaveyouaskhismother.I—forbidyoutodoanythingofthesort.OhFritzi,"sheaddedindespair,forhehadpickedupthehatandstickhehadflungdownoncominginandwasevidentlynotgoingtotaketheleastnoticeofhercommands—"ohFritzi,youcan'taskTussieformoney.Itwouldkillhimtoknowwewereindifficulties." "Killhim,ma'am?Whyshoulditkillhim?"shoutedFritzing,exasperatedbysuchapictureofsoftness. "Itwouldn'tonlykillhim—itwouldbesimplytoodreadfulbesides,"saidPriscilla,greatlydistressed."Why,heaskedmethisafternoon—wasn'tgoingtotellyou,butyouforcemeto—heaskedmethisveryafternoontomarryhim,andthedreadfulpartisthatI'mafraidhethinks—hehopes—thatI'mgoingto."