"I confess," said Lydia, laughing in spite of herself, "that your
view of the transaction did not occur to me."
"Of course not, ma'am; no more it wouldn't to any one, without they
were accustomed to know the right and wrong of the profession. Well,
as I was saying, miss, that was a fresh disappointment to him. It
worrited him more than you can imagine. Then came a deal of bother
about the match with Paradise. First Paradise could only get five
hundred pounds; and the boy wouldn't agree for less than a thousand.
I think it's on your account that he's been so particular about the
money of late; for he was never covetous before. Then Mellish was
bent on its coming off down hereabouts; and the poor lad was so
mortal afraid of its getting to your ears, that he wouldn't consent
until they persuaded him you would be in foreign parts in August.
Glad I was when the articles were signed at last, before he was
worrited into his grave. All the time he was training he was longing
for a sight of you; but he went through with it as steady and
faithful as a man could. And he trained beautiful. I saw him on the
morning of the fight; and he was like a shining angel; it would have
done a lady's heart good to look at him. Ned went about like a
madman offering twenty to one on him: if he had lost, we should have
been ruined at this moment. And then to think of the police coming
just as he was finishing Paradise. I cried like a child when I heard
of it: I don't think there was ever anything so cruel. And he could
have finished him quarter of an hour sooner, only he held back to
make the market for Ned." Here Mrs. Skene, overcome, blew her nose
before proceeding. "Then, on the top of that, came what passed
betwixt you and him, and made him give himself up to the police.
Lord Worthington bailed him out; but what with the disgrace and the
disappointment, and his time and money thrown away, and the sting of
your words, all coming together, he was quite broken-hearted. And
now he mopes and frets; and neither me nor Ned nor Fan can get any
good of him. They tell me that he won't be sent to prison; but if he
is"--here Mrs. Skene broke down and began to cry--"it will be the
death of him, and God forgive those that have brought it about."