Why the devil shouldn't he marry?"
Larpent shrugged his shoulders. "Don't ask me!" he said.
"Well, he ought to," maintained Bunny. "If you have any influence with
him, you ought to persuade him to."
"I haven't," said Larpent.
Bunny flung away impatiently. "It's a confounded shame--a gorgeous family
place like this and no one but servants to live in it!"
"It is, isn't it?" gibed Saltash, unexpectedly entering from the further
door. "Large enough for fifty wives, eh, Bunny? Well, as I said before,
you get married and I'll adopt you. It'll save me a lot of trouble.
You're so keen on recommending the marriage medicine to other people. Try
it yourself, and see how you like it!"
He walked straight down the long room with the words, passing both
Larpent and Bunny on his way, pausing by neither. "I like to hear you two
discussing my case," he jested. "You, Bunny, who have never had the great
disease, and Larpent who has never got over it!"
He approached the open door that led out upon the great staircase, the
jest still on his lips and the laughter in his eyes. He reached it and
stretched out both hands with a fine gesture of greeting.
"Welcome to my poor hovel!" he said. "Madam, I kneel at your feet.
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