Third Period Chapter 60 On the Eve of a Change

"I have mine already," she replied sadly. "Now, Dr. Vimpany, let me pay
you, and get rid of your company."

He counted the money carefully and put it in the banker's bag in his
coat-pocket. "Thank you, my lady. We have exchanged compliments enough
over this job."

"I hope--I pray--that we may never set eyes on you again."

"I cannot say. People run up against each other in the strangest
manner, especially people who've done shady things and have got to keep
in the background."

"Enough!--enough!"

"The background of the world is a very odd place, I assure you. It is
full of interesting people. The society has a piquancy which you will
find, I hope, quite charming. You will be known by another name, of
course?"

"I shall not tell you by what name--"

"Tut--tut! I shall soon find out. The background gets narrower when you
fall into misery."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, Lady Harry, that your husband has no idea whatever as to the
value of money. The two thousand that you are taking him will vanish in
a year or two. What will you do then? As for myself, I know the value
of money so well that I am always buying the most precious and
delightful things with it. I enjoy them immensely. Never any man
enjoyed good things so much as I do. But the delightful things cost
money. Let us be under no illusions. Your ladyship and your noble
husband and I all belong to the background; and in a year or two we
shall belong to the needy background. I daresay that very soon after
that the world will learn that we all belong to the criminal
background. I wish your ladyship a joyful reunion with your husband!"