He said I must go to Egypt."
"Egypt," she repeated. "Is that very far from here?"
"What matter how far it is! If I can't live in England I must go where I
can live."
"Don't be cross, dear. I know it's your health that makes you that
irritable, but it's hard to bear at times."
"You won't care to go to Egypt with me."
"How can you think that, Bill? Have I ever refused you anything?"
"Quite right, old girl, I'm sorry. I know you'd do anything for me. I've
always said so, haven't I? It's this cough that makes me sharp tempered
and fretful. I shall be different when I get to Egypt."
"When do we start?"
"If we get away by the end of October it will be all right. It will cost a
lot of money; the journey is expensive, and we shall have to stop there
six months. I couldn't think of coming home before the end of April."
Esther did not answer. They walked some yards in silence. Then he said--
"I've been very unlucky lately; there isn't much over a hundred pounds in
the bank."
"How much shall we want?"
"Three or four hundred pounds at least. We won't take the boy with us, we
couldn't afford that; but I should like to pay a couple of quarters in
advance."
"That won't be much."
"Not if I have any luck. The luck must turn, and I have some splendid
information about the Great Ebor and the Yorkshire Stakes.
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