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290 'Doctor,'—said he, one day, at Boxall Hill—'how about those Greshamsbury title-deeds?'

'Oh, that will all be properly settled between my lawyer and your own.'

'Oh—ah—yes; no doubt the lawyers will settle it: settle it with a fine bill of costs, of course. But, as Finnie says,'—Finnie was Sir Louis' legal adviser—'I have got a tremendously large interest at stake in this matter; eighty thousand pounds is no joke. It ain't everybody that can shell out eighty thousand pounds when they're wanted; and I should like to know how the thing's going on. I've a right to ask, you know; eh, doctor?'

'The title-deeds of a large portion of the Greshamsbury estate will be placed with the mortgage-deeds before the end of next month.'

'Oh, that's all right. I choose to know about these things; for though my father did make such a con—found—ed will, that's no reason I shouldn't know how things are going.'

'You shall know everything that I know, Sir Louis.'

'And now, doctor, what are we to do about money?'

'About money?'

'Yes; money, rhino, ready! "put money in your purse, and cut a dash;" eh, doctor? Not that I want to cut a dash. No, I'm going on the quiet line altogether now: I've done with all that sort of thing.'

'I'm heartily glad of it; heartily,' said the doctor.

'Yes, I'm not going to make way for my far-away cousin yet; not if I know it, at least. I shall soon be all right now, doctor; shan't I?'

'"All right" is a long word, Sir Louis. But I do hope you will be all right in time, if you will live with decent prudence. You shouldn't take that filth in the morning though.'

'Filth in the morning! That's my mother, I suppose! That's her ladyship! She's been talking, has she? Don't you believe her, doctor. There's not a young man in Barsetshire is going more regular, all right within the posts, than I am.'

The doctor was obliged to acknowledge that there did seem to be some improvement.

'And now, doctor, how about money? Eh?'

Doctor Thorne, like other guardians similarly circumstanced, began to explain that Sir Louis had already had a good deal of money, and had begun also to promise that more should be forthcoming in the event of good behaviour, when he was somewhat suddenly interrupted by Sir Louis.

'Well, now, I'll tell you what, doctor; I've got a bit of news for you; something that I think will astonish you.'