 and he was almost in danger of forgetting that he was merely
gambling in argument. When he left off, Grandcourt took his cigar out of his
mouth, and looking steadily at the moist end while he adjusted the leaf with his
delicate finger-tips, said -
    »I knew before that you had an objection to my marrying Miss Harleth.« Here
he made a little pause, before he continued, »But I never considered that a
reason against it.«
    »I never supposed you did,« answered Lush, not unctuously, but drily. »It
was not that I urged as a reason. I should have thought it might have been a
reason against it, after all your experience, that you would be acting like the
hero of a ballad, and making yourself absurd - and all for what? You know you
couldn't make up your mind before. It's impossible you can care much about her.
And as for the tricks she is likely to play, you may judge of that from what you
heard at Leubronn. However, what I wished to point out to you was, that there
can be no shilly-shally now.«
    »Perfectly,« said Grandcourt, looking round at Lush and fixing him with
narrow eyes; »I don't intend that there should be. I daresay it's disagreeable
to you. But if you suppose I care a damn for that, you are most stupendously
mistaken.«
    »Oh, well,« said Lush, rising with his hands in his pockets, and feeling
some latent venom still within him, »if you have made up your mind! - only
there's another aspect of the affair. I have been speaking on the supposition
that it was absolutely certain she would accept you, and that destitution would
have no choice. But I am not so sure that the young lady is to be counted on.
She is kittle cattle to shoe, I think. And she had her reasons for running away
before.« Lush had moved a step or two till he stood nearly in front of
Grandcourt, though at some distance from him. He did not feel himself much
restrained by consequences, being aware that the only strong hold he had on his
present position was his serviceableness; and even after a quarrel, the want of
him was likely sooner or later to recur. He foresaw that Gwendolen would cause
him to be ousted for a time, and his temper at this moment urged him to risk a
quarrel.
    »She had her reasons,« he repeated, more significantly.
    »
