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30 I entered this place, as I thought, an honourable man, and I leave it a cool villain. But suppose I refuse to pay you twenty-five thousand pounds, what then?"

"What then? In that case I shall crush Bendale like an eggshell, and I shall further inform him of your intrigue with his wife."

"And very likely bring us into the Law Courts."

"That's not my affair; that's your look-out."

"Quite so; but do you feel no compassion for the innocent who will suffer?"

"As I say, that is not my affair. You are the cause of whatever suffering ensues."

"Do you think nothing of the unfortunate position of the British jury before whom I may be called upon to appear—the tale that will be told to them of aristocratic depravity? There will be presented to them a mental picture of the young rake; a boy of five or six years old. His partner in guilt is a buxom young woman with the country roses in her cheeks, who picks up this young aristocrat by clasping him under the arms, and places him in a high chair by a table; ties her own white apron round his neck, so that he shall not soil his clothes more than is already the case, places before him a pot full of strawberry jam, delicious bread and butter, and a pitcher of milk. Do you think that twelve sensible men would blame the aristocratic rapscallion for falling in love with this buxom girl, when they remember the good old adage that the