ETHEL. And you could have arranged the settlement in the same way.

PIKE [smiling]. Settlement? You seem to have _settled_ it pretty well
without me.

ETHEL. You do not understand. An alliance of this sort always entails a
certain settlement.

PIKE. Yes, ma'am--when folks get married they generally settle down
considerable.

ETHEL [impatiently]. Please listen. If you were at all a man of the
world, I should not have to explain that in marrying into a noble house
I bring my _dot_, my dowry--

PIKE [puzzled]. _Money_, you mean?

ETHEL. If you choose to put it that way.

PIKE. You mean you want to put aside something of your own to buy a lot
and fix up a place to start housekeeping--

ETHEL. No, _no_! I mean a settlement upon Mr. St. Aubyn directly.

PIKE. You mean you want to _give_ it to him?

ETHEL. If that's the only way to make you understand--_yes_!

PIKE [amused]. How much do you want to give him?