He could not see her expression, but he had always been confident of his ability to talk himself out of trouble, so he rambled on in pretence of camaraderie, currying favour, as he believed, ingratiating himself with the coarse bluntness that served him among some men, even among some women.
"We'll fix it somehow," he said reassuringly; "don't you worry, Leila.
I've confidence in you, little girl! You've got me out of sticky messes before, eh?
Well, we've weathered a few, haven't we ?" Even the horrible parody on wedded loyalty left her silent, unmoved, dark eyes brooding; and he began to grow a little restless and anxious as his jocularity increased without a movement in either response or aversion from his wife.
"You needn't be scared, if I'm not," he said reproachfully.

"The house is worth two hundred and fifty thousand, and there's only fifty on it now.

If that fat, Dutch skinflint, Plank, shows his tusks, we can clap on another fifty." And as she made no sound or movement in reply: "As far as Plank goes, haven't I done enough for him to square it?
What have we ever got out of him, except a thousand or two now and then when the cards went against me?
If I took it, it was practically what he owes me.

And if he thinks it's too much--look here, Leila! I've a trick up my sleeve.

I can make good any time I wish to.