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TheDukeofDatchet，comingoutofthebank，lingeredforamomentonthesteps。Inonehandhecarriedacanvasbagwhichseemedwellweighted。Onhiscountenancetherewasanexpressionwhichtoacasualobservermighthavesuggestedthathisgracewasnotcompletelyathisease。Thatcasualobserverhappenedtocomestrollingby。IttooktheformofIvorDacre。
Mr。DacrelookedtheDukeofDatchetupanddowninthatlanguidwayhehas。Heperceivedthecanvasbag。Thenheremarked，possiblyintendingtobefacetious:
“Beenrobbingthebank？ShallIcallacart？“
NobodymindswhatIvorDacresays。Besides，heistheduke’sowncousin。Perhapsalittleremoved；still，thereitis。Sothedukesmiledasicklysmile，asifMr。Dacre’sdelicatewithadgivenhimapassingtouchofindigestion。
Mr。Dacrenoticedthatthedukelookedsallow，sohegavehisprettysenseofhumoranotherairing。
“Kitchenboilerburst？WhenIsawtheduchessjustnowIwonderedifithad。“
Hisgracedistinctlystarted。Healmostdroppedthecanvasbag。
“Yousawtheduchessjustnow，Ivor！When？“
Thedukewasevidentlymoved。Mr。Dacrewasstirredtolanguidcuriosity。“Ican’tsayIclockedit。Perhapshalfanhourago；
perhapsalittlemore。“
“Halfanhourago！Areyousure？Wheredidyouseeher？“
Mr。Dacrewondered。TheDuchessofDatchetcouldscarcelyhavebeenelopinginbroaddaylight。Moreover，shehadnotyetbeenmarriedayear。Everyoneknewthatsheandthedukewerestillasfondofeachotherasiftheywerenotmanandwife。So，althoughtheduke，forsomecauseorother，wasevidentlyinanoddstateofagitation，Mr。Dacresawnoreasonwhyheshouldnotmakeacleanbreastofallheknew。
“Shewasgoinglikeblazesinahansomcab。“
“Inahansomcab？Where？“
“DownWaterlooPlace。“
“Wasshealone？“
Mr。Dacrereflected。Heglancedatthedukeoutofthecornersofhiseyes。Hislanguidutterancebecameapositivedrawl。
“Iratherfancythatshewasn’t。“
“Whowaswithher？“
“Mydearfellow，ifyouweretooffermethebankIcouldn’ttellyou。“
“Wasitaman？“
Mr。Dacre’sdrawlbecamestillmorepronounced。
“Iratherfancythatitwas。“
Mr。Dacreexpectedsomething。Thedukewassoexcited。Buthebynomeansexpectedwhatactuallycame。
“Ivor，she’sbeenkidnaped！“
Mr。Dacredidwhathehadneverbeenknowntodobeforewithinthememoryofman——hedroppedhiseyeglass。
“Datchet！“
“Shehas！Somescoundrelhasdecoyedheraway，andtrappedher。
He’salreadysentmealockofherhair，andhetellsmethatifI
don’tlethimhavefivehundredpoundsingoldbyhalf-pastfivehe’llletmehaveherlittlefinger。“
Mr。Dacredidnotknowwhattomakeofhisgraceatall。Hewasasoberman——itCOULDN’Tbethat！Mr。Dacrefeltreallyconcerned。
“I’llcallacab，oldman，andyou’dbetterletmeseeyouhome。“
Mr。Dacrehalfraisedhissticktohailapassinghansom。Thedukecaughthimbythearm。
“Youass！Whatdoyoumean？Iamtellingyouthesimpletruth。
Mywife’sbeenkidnaped。“
Mr。Dacre’scountenancewasathingtobeseen——andremembered。
“Oh！Ihadn’theardthattherewasmuchofthatsortofthingaboutjustnow。Theytalkofpoodlesbeingkidnaped，butasforduchesses——You’dreallybetterletmecallthatcab。“
“Ivor，doyouwantmetokickyou？Don’tyouseethattomeit’saquestionoflifeanddeath？I’vebeenintheretogetthemoney。“
Hisgracemotionedtowardthebank。“I’mgoingtotakeittothescoundrelwhohasmydarlingathismercy。Letmebuthaveherhandinmineagain，andheshallcontinuetopayforeverysovereignwithtearsofblooduntilhedies。“
“Lookhere，Datchet，Idon’tknowifyou’rehavingajokewithme，orifyou’renotwell——“
Thedukesteppedimpatientlyintotheroadway。
“Ivor，you’reafool！Can’tyoutelljestfromearnest，healthfromdisease？I’mo
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