They must pay or go to the
court. But there is law left, and I'll have it, before they play the
Irish game on us here." And he brought down his fist with a bang upon
the table.
Geoffrey listened with some amusement. So this was the weak old man's
sore point--money. He was clearly very strong about that--as strong as
Lady Honoria indeed, but with more excuse. Elizabeth also listened with
evident approval, but Beatrice looked pained.
"Don't get angry, father," she said; "perhaps he will pay after all.
It is bad to take the law if you can manage any other way--it breeds so
much ill blood."
"Nonsense, Beatrice," said her sister sharply. "Father is quite right.
There's only one way to deal with them, and that is to seize their
goods. I believe you are socialist about property, as you are about
everything else. You want to pull everything down, from the Queen to the
laws of marriage, all for the good of humanity, and I tell you that
your ideas will be your ruin. Defy custom and it will crush you. You are
running your head against a brick wall, and one day you will find which
is the harder.
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