'This, sir, I believe,' said he, giving it to his father as soon as
signed--'this, I believe, is the first debt you would wish to have
secured.'
'Well thought of, my dear boy I--God bless you!--that has weighed more
upon my conscience and heart than all the rest, though I never said
anything about it. I used, whenever I met Mr. Salisbury, to wish myself
fairly down at the centre of the earth; not that he ever thought of
fortune, I'm sure; for he often told me, and I believed him, he would
rather have Miss Nugent without a penny, if he could get her, than
the first fortune in the empire. But I'm glad she will not go to him
penniless, for all that; and by my fault, especially. There, there's
my name to it--do witness it, Terry. But, Colambre, you must give it to
her--you must take it to Grace.'
'Excuse me, sir; it is no gift of mine--it is a debt of yours. I beg you
will take the bond to her yourself, my dear father.'
'My dear son, you must not always have your own way, and hide everything
good you do, or give me the honour of it I won't be the jay in borrowed
feathers. I have borrowed enough in my life, and I've done with
borrowing now, thanks to you, Colambre--so come along with me; for I'll
be hanged if ever I give this joint bond to Miss Nugent, without you
along with me.
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