Surely I can do
something in return for your goodness--something practical?"
Henchard remained in thought. He had evidently not expected this. "There
is one thing you might do, Lucetta," he said. "But not exactly of that
kind."
"Then of what kind is it?" she asked with renewed misgiving.
"I must tell you a secret to ask it.--You may have heard that I have
been unlucky this year? I did what I have never done before--speculated
rashly; and I lost. That's just put me in a strait.
"And you would wish me to advance some money?"
"No, no!" said Henchard, almost in anger. "I'm not the man to sponge on
a woman, even though she may be so nearly my own as you. No, Lucetta;
what you can do is this and it would save me. My great creditor is
Grower, and it is at his hands I shall suffer if at anybody's; while a
fortnight's forbearance on his part would be enough to allow me to pull
through. This may be got out of him in one way--that you would let it be
known to him that you are my intended--that we are to be quietly married
in the next fortnight.--Now stop, you haven't heard all! Let him have
this story, without, of course, any prejudice to the fact that the
actual engagement between us is to be a long one. Nobody else need know:
you could go with me to Mr. Grower and just let me speak to 'ee before
him as if we were on such terms.
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