Letters

Chapter IX
Since Paul Montague is reluctant to write Melmotte about the railway, Fisker says: “I’ll write it, and you can sign it” (73). He writes the following letter:

 “I have the pleasure of informing you that my partner Mr. Fisker, -- of Fisker, Montague, and Montague, of San Francisco, -- is now in London with the view of allowing British capitalists to assist in carrying out perhaps the greatest work of the age, -- namely, the South Central Pacific and Mexican Railway, which is to give direct communication between San Francisco and the Gulf of Mexico. He is very anxious to see you upon his arrival, as he is aware that your co-operation would be desirable. We feel assured that with your matured judgment in such matters you would see at once the magnificence of the enterprise. If you will name a day and an hour, Mr. Fisker will call upon you.

 “I have to thank you and Madame Melmotte for a very pleasing evening spent at your house last week.

 “Mr. Fisker proposes returning to New York. I shall remain here, superintending the British interests which may be involved” (73-74). #Dishonesty #Letters

Chapter XIII
“Dolly did not often show himself in Bruton Street. He had rooms of his own, and could seldom even be induced to dine with his family. His mother wrote to him notes without end, -- notes every day, pressing invitations of all sorts upon him; would he come and dine; would he take them to the theatre; would he go to this ball; would he go to that evening-party? These Dolly barely read, and never answered. He would open them, thrust them into some pocket, and then forget them. Consequently his mother worshipped him; and even his sisters, who were at any rate superior to him in intellect, treated him with a certain deference” (108). #Letters

Dolly addressing Mr. Longstaffe: “I’ve got a letter, sir, ever so long, from those fellows in Lincoln’s Inn. They want me to come and see you about selling something; so I’ve come” (110). #Letters

Chapter XIV
Letter from Lady Carbury to Roger requesting they might come to Carbury Manor:

 “My Dear Roger,

 “We know how kind you are and how sincere, and that if what I am going to propose doesn’t suit you’ll say so at once. I have been working very hard, -- too hard indeed, and I feel that nothing will do me so much real good as getting into the country for a day or two. Would you takes us for a part of Whitsun week? We would come down on the 20th May and stay over the Sunday if you would keep us. Felix says he would run down though he would not trouble you for so long a time as we talk of staying.

 “I’m sure you must have been glad to hear of his being put upon that Great American Railway Board as a Director. It opens upon a new sphere of life to him, and will enable him to prove that he can make himself useful. I think it was a great confidence to place in one so young.

 “Of course you will say so at once if my little proposal interferes with any of your plans, but you have been so very very kind to us that I have no scruple in making it.

 “Henrietta joins with me in kind love” (113) #Letters “He [ Roger ] wrote his two letters at once. That to Lady Carbury was very short. He would be delighted to see her and Henrietta at the time named, -- and would be very glad should it suit Felix to come also. He did not say a word about the Board, or the young man’s probable usefulness in his new sphere of life. To Montague his letter was long. ‘It is always best to be open and true,’ he said. ‘Since you were kind enough to say that you would come to me, Lady Carbury has proposed to visit me just at the same time and to bring her daughter. After what has passed between us I need hardly say that I could not make you both welcome here together. It is not pleasant to me to have to ask you to postpone your visit, but I think you will not accuse me of a want of hospitality toward you.’ Paul wrote back to say that he was sure that there was no want of hospitality, and that he would remain in town” (115). #Letters #Sincerity

Chapter XV
“In the course of the evening there came a note, -- or rather a bundle of notes, -- from Caversham. That addressed to Roger was in the form of a letter. Lady Pomona was sorry to say that the Longestaffe party were prevented from having the pleasure of dining at Carbury Hall by the fact that they had a house full of guests. Lady Pomona hoped that Mr. Carbury and his relatives, who, Lady Pomona heard, were with him at the Hall, would do the Longestaffes the pleasure of dining at Caversham either on the Monday or Tuesday following, as might best suit the Carbury plans. That was the purport of Lady Pomona ’s letter to Roger Carbury. Then there were cards of invitation for Lady Carbury and her daughter, and also for Sir Felix. Roger, as he read his own note, handed the others over to Lady Carbury , and then asked her what she would wish to have done” (127). #Letters#Proximity

Chapter XVI
Lady Carbury ’s telegram to Felix from Beccles: “‘You are to dine at Caversham on Monday. Come on Sunday if you can. She is there.’ Lady Carbury had many doubts as to the wording of this message. The female in the office might too probably understand who was the ‘She,’ who was spoken of as being at Caversham, and might understand also the project, and speak of it publicly. But then it was essential that Felix should know how great and certain was the opportunity afforded to him” (131). #Letters #Premeditation #Possibility of Exposure

Father John Barham : “When banished from the house he had still striven to achieve the conversion of other sisters by his letters, and was now absolutely an alien from his father’s heart and care” (133). #Proximity #Letters

Chapter XVIII
“Miss Ruby Ruggles, the granddaughter of old Daniel Ruggles, of Sheep’s Acre, in the parish of Sheepstone, close to Bungay, received the following letter from the hands of the rural post letter-carrier on that Sunday morning; -- ‘A friend will be somewhere near Sheepstone Birches between four and five o’clock on Sunday afternoon.’ There was not another word in the letter, but Miss Ruby Ruggles knew well from whom it came” (149). #Letters #Seduction #Proximity

“Though the writer had not dared to sign his name she knew well that it came from Sir Felix Carbury, -- the most beautiful gentleman she had ever set her eyes upon. Poor Ruby Ruggles ! Living down at Sheep’s Acre, on the Waveney, she had heard both too much and too little of the great world beyond her ken” (149). #Letters #Seduction #WomenReading

Ruby complains that Felix promised to visit her but he never came. “‘But I wrote to you Ruby.’ ‘What’s letters? And the postman to know all as in ‘em for anything anybody knows, and grandfather to be almost sure to see ‘em. I don’t call letters no good at all, and I bet you won’t write ‘em any more’” (152). #Letters #Seduction #Possibility of Exposure

Felix promises to come back and see Ruby the next week: “As he made the promise he resolved that he would not keep it. He would write to her again, and bid her come to him in London, and would send her money for the journey” (153). #Letters #Seduction #Dishonesty

Chapter XXI
Mr. Longestaffe receives a telegram from his lawyer about his finances indicating the family will not be returning to London, but doesn’t immediately reveal its contents to the rest of his family. Lady Pomona says about the incident: “‘He looked like it when he put those papers back into his pocket. I know what his face means so well’” (169). #Letters #AbstractReading

Mr. Longestaffe to Georgiana : “‘You had better write to Lady Monogram and say you can’t keep your engagement’” (171). #Letters #Proximity

Georgiana in protest of not going back to London for the year: “‘I shan’t run away with George Whistable ; you may be sure of that. I’ll tell you what I shall do, -- I will write papa a letter. I suppose he’ll condescend to read it’” (173). #Letters

Georgiana ’s letter to Mr. Longestaffe :

“‘My dear Papa, --

‘I don’t think you ought to be surprised because we feel that our going up to town is so very important to us. If we are not to be in London at this time of the year we can never see anybody, and of course you know what that must mean for me. If this goes on about Sophia, it does not signify for her, and, though mamma likes London, it is not a of real importance. But it is very, very hard upon me. It isn’t for pleasure that I want to go up. There isn’t so very much pleasure in it. But if I’m to be buried down here at Caversham, I might just as well be dead at once. If you choose to give up both houses for a year, or for two years, and take us all abroad, I should not grumble in the least. There are very nice people to be met abroad, and perhaps things go easier that way than in town. And there would be nothing for horses, and we could dress very cheap and wear our old things. I’m sure I don’t want to run up bills. But if you would only think what Caversham must be to me, without any one worth thinking about within twenty miles, you would hardly ask me to stay here.

‘You certainly did say that if we would come down here with those Melmottes we should be taken back to town, and you cannot be surprised that we should be disappointed when we are told that we are to be kept here after that. It makes me feel that life is so hard that I can’t bear it. I see other girls having such chances when I have none, that sometimes I think I don’t know what will happen to me’ (This was the nearest approach which she dared to make in writing to that threat which she had uttered to her mother of running away with somebody.) ‘I suppose that now it is useless for me to ask you to take us all back this summer, -- though it was promised; but I hope you’ll give me money to go up to the Primeros. It would only be me and my maid. Julia Primero asked me to stay with them when you first talked of not going up, and I should not in the least object to reminding her, only it should be done at once. Their house in Queen’s Gate is very large, and I know they’ve a room. They all ride, and I should want a horse; but there would be nothing else, as they have plenty of carriages, and the groom who rides with Julia would do for both of us. Pray answer this at once, papa.’” (175) #Letters #Premeditation

“Mr. Longstaffe, when he read his daughter’s appeal, did feel for her, in spite of his anger” (176). #Letters After Mr. Longestaffe read Georgiana’ s letter: “On the following morning, when there could have been no intercourse with London by letter, Lady Pomona called her younger daughter to her, and handed her an note to read. ‘Your papa has this moment given it me. Of course you must judge for yourself.’ This was the note; --

‘My Dear Mr. Longestaffe ,

‘As you seem determined not to return to London this season, perhaps one of your young ladies would like to come to us. Mrs. Melmotte would be delighted to have Miss Georgiana for June and July. If so, she need only give Mrs. Melmotte a day’s notice

‘Yours Truly,

‘Augustus Melmotte ’” (177). #Letters #Proximity After Georgiana agrees to stay with the Melmottes, “Lady Pomona informed Mr. Longestaffe that Mr. Melmotte’s invitation was to be accepted. She herself would write a line to Madame Melmotte, and Georgiana would go up on the Friday following” (178). #Letters #Proximity

Chapter XXII
Marie wants Felix to communicate to her the result of asking Melmotte for permission for their engagement: “‘Shall I come up again?’ ‘No; but leave a note for me here under cover to Madame Didon .’. . . ‘Or send it by post, -- under cover to her. That will be better’” (190). #Letters #Possibility of Exposure

Chapter XXIV
Felix ’s note to Marie after he spoke with her father about their engagement:

“‘Dear M.,

‘Your father cup up very rough, -- about money. Perhaps you had better see him yourself; or would your mother?

‘Yours always, F.’” (197). #Letters

Dolly tells Felix that Melmotte is about to owe Dolly money for selling property, and that Felix can tell Melmotte that he can put some of that toward Felix’s shares since Dolly owes Felix money. Felix says, “‘You could write me that, -- in a business sort of way.’ ‘I couldn’t do that Carbruy. What’s the use? I never write any letters. I can’t do it. You tell him that; and if the sale comes off, I’ll make it straight’” (198). #Letters #Permanence

Chapter XXV
“Marie was dissatisfied with her letter [from Felix ], -- not because it described her father as ‘cutting up rough.’ To her who had known her father all her life that was a matter of course. But there was no word of love in the note. An impassioned correspondence carried on through Didon would be delightful to her” (203). #Letters #Seduction

“She [ Marie ] could write to him [ Felix ] at his club, and having no such fear [ of exposure ], she could write warmly” (204). #Letters #Possibility of Exposure

“‘Dearest, Dearest Felix ,

‘I have just got your note; -- such a scrap! Of course papa would talk about money because he never thinks of anything else. I don’t know anything about money, and I don’t care in the least how much you have got. Papa has got plenty, and I think he would give us some if we were once married. I have told mamma, but mamma is always afraid of everything. Papa is very cross to her sometimes; -- more so than to me. I will try to tell him, though I can’t always get at him. I very often hardly see him all day long. But I don’t mean to be afraid of him, and will tell him that on my word and honour I will never marry any one except you. I don’t think he will beat me, but if he does, I’ll bear it, -- for your sake. He does beat mamma sometimes, I know.

‘You can write to me quite safely through Didon. I think if you would call some day and give her something, it would help, as she is very fond of money. Do write and tell me that you love me. I love you better than anything in the world, and I will never, -- never give you up. I suppose you can come and call, -- unless papa tells the man in the hall not to let you in. I’ll find that out from Didon, but I can’t do it before sending this letter. Papa dined out yesterday somewhere with that Lord Alfred, so I haven’t seen him since you were here. I never see him before he goes into the city in the morning. Now I am going downstairs to breakfast with mamma and that Miss Longestaffe. She is a stuck-up thing. Didn’t you think so at Caversham?

‘Good-bye. You are my own, own, own darling Felix.

‘An I am you own, own affectionate ladylove,

‘Marie .’” (205). #Letters #Seduction #Possibility of Exposure #Proximity

Chapter XXV
“She [ Georgiana ] had written to her dear friend Lady Monogram, whom she had known intimately as Miss Triplex, and whose marriage with Sir Damask Monogram had been splendid preferment, telling how she had been kept down in Suffolk at the time of her friend’s last party, and how she had been driven to consent to return to London as the guest of Madame Melmotte. She hoped her friend would not throw her off on that account. She had been very affectionate, with a poor attempt at fun, and rather humble. Goergiana Longestaffe had never been humble before; but the Monograms were people so much thought of and in such an excellent set! She would do anything rather than lose the Monograms. But it was of no use. She had been humble in vain, for Lady Monogram had not even answered her note” (206). #Letters #Dishonesty #Premeditation

Dolly determines to write to his father about Georgiana staying with the Melmotte s after he visits her at their house (207). #Letters #Premeditation “‘My Dear Father ,

‘I have seen Georgiana at Mr. Melmotte ’s house. She ought not to be there. I suppose you don’t know it, but everybody says he’s a swindler. For the sake of the family I hope you will get her home again. It seems to me that Bruton Street is the proper place for the girls at this time of the year.

‘Your affectionate son,

‘Adolphus Longestaffe ’” (208). #Letters #Sincerity

“This letter fell upon old Mr. Longestaffe at Caversham like a thunderbolt. It was marvelous to him that his son should have been instigated to write a letter. The Melmottes must be very bad indeed, -- worse than he had thought, -- or their iniquities would not have brought about such energy as this. But the passage which angered him most was that which told him that he ought to have taken his family back to town” (208). #Letters