He found Henrietta alone in the drawing-room. 'Have you seen Felix?' she said, as soon as they had greeted each other.
'Yes. I caught him in the street.'
'We are so unhappy about him.'
'I cannot say but that you have reason. I think, you know, that your mother indulges him foolishly.'
'Poor mamma! She worships the very ground he treads on.'
'Even a mother should not throw her worship away like that. The fact is that your brother will ruin you both if this goes on.'
'What can mamma do?'
'Leave London, and then refuse to pay a shilling on his behalf.'
'What would Felix do in the country?'
'If he did nothing, how much better would that be than what he does in town? You would not like him to become a professional gambler.'
'Oh, Mr Carbury; you do not mean that he does that!'
'It seems cruel to say such things to you,--but in a matter of such importance one is bound to speak the truth. I have no influence over your mother; but you may have some. She asks my advice, but has not the slightest idea of listening to it. I don't blame her for that; but I am anxious, for the sake of--for the sake of the family.'
'I am sure you are.'
'Especially for your sake. You will never throw him over.'
'You would not ask me to throw him over.'
'But he may drag you into the mud. For his sake you have already been taken into the house of that man Melmotte.'
'I do not think that I shall be injured by anything of that kind,' said Henrietta drawing herself up.
'Pardon me if I seem to interfere.'
'Oh, no;--it is no interference from you.'
'Pardon me then if I am rough. To me it seems that an injury is done to you if you are made to go to the house of such a one as this man. Why does your mother seek his society? Not because she likes him; not because she has any sympathy with him or his family;--but simply because there is a rich daughter.'
'Everybody goes there, Mr Carbury.'
'Yes,--that is the excuse which everybody makes. Is that sufficient reason for you to go to a man's house? Is there not another place, to which we are told that a great many are going, simply because the road has become thronged and fashionable? Have you no feeling that you ought to choose your friends for certain reasons of your own? I admit there is one reason here. They have a great deal of money, and it is thought possible that he may get some of it by falsely swearing to a girl that he loves her. After what you have heard, are the Melmottes people with whom you would wish to be connected?'