her,
and
when
she
came
behind
his
chair
,
and
pushed
the
decanter
a
little
more
within
his
reach
,
he
put
out
his
rough
,
hairy
hand
,
and
laid
it
upon
one
of
hers
which
she
had
rested
on
the
table
,
with
a
tenderness
that
was
unusual
with
him
.
"
You
are
a
good
girl
,
Kate
.
I
wish
you
had
been
a
boy
,
that
's
all
.
"
"
If
I
had
,
I
should
n't
,
perhaps
,
have
been
here
to
take
care
of
you
,
"
she
said
,
smiling
.
"
No
;
you
'd
have
been
like
your
brother
,
no
doubt
.
Not
that
I
think
there
could
have
been
two
so
bad
as
he
is
.
"
"
Oh
,
grandfather
,
if
he
has
offended
you
,
you
should
try
to
forgive
him
.
"
"
Try
to
forgive
him
!
How
often
have
I
forgiven
him
without
any
trying
?
Why
did
he
come
down
here
the
other
day
,
and
insult
me
for
the
last
time
?
Why
did
n't
he
keep
away
,
as
I
had
bidden
him
?
"
"
But
you
gave
him
leave
to
see
you
,
sir
.
"
"
I
did
n't
give
him
leave
to
treat
me
like
that
.
Never
mind
;
he
will
find
that
,
old
as
I
am
,
I
can
punish
an
insult
.
"
"
You
have
n't
done
anything
,
sir
,
to
injure
him
?
"
said
Kate
.
"
I
have
made
another
will
,
that
's
all
.
Do
you
suppose
I
had
that
man
here
all
the
way
from
Penrith
for
nothing
?
"
"
But
it
is
n't
done
yet
?
"
"
I
tell
you
it
is
done
.
If
I
left
him
the
whole
property
it
would
be
gone
in
two
years
'
time
.
What
's
the
use
of
doing
it
?
"
"
But
for
his
life
,
sir
!
You
had
promised
him
that
he
should
have
it
for
his
life
.
"
"
How
dare
you
tell
me
that
?
I
never
promised
him
.
As
my
heir
,
he
would
have
had
it
all
,
if
he
would
have
behaved
himself
with
common
decency
.
Even
though
I
disliked
him
,
as
I
always
have
done
,
he
should
have
had
it
.
"
"
And
you
have
taken
it
from
him
altogether
?
"
"
I
shall
answer
no
questions
about
it
,
Kate
.
"
Then
a
fit
of
coughing
came
upon
him
,
his
four
glasses
of
wine
having
been
all
taken
,
and
there
was
no
further
talk
about
business
.
During
the
evening
Kate
read
a
chapter
of
the
Bible
out
loud
.
But
the
Squire
was
very
impatient
under
the
reading
,
and
positively
refused
permission
for
a
second
.
"
There
is
n't
any
good
in
so
much
of
it
,
all
at
once
,
"
he
said
,
using
almost
exactly
the
same
words
which
Kate
had
used
to
him
about
the
port
wine
.
There
may
have
been
good
produced
by
the
small
quantity
to
which
he
listened
,
as
there
is
good
from
the
physic
which
children
take
with
wry
faces
,
most
unwillingly
.
Who
can
say
?
For
many
weeks
past
Kate
had
begged
her
uncle
to
allow
the
clergyman
of
Vavasor
to
come
to
him
;
but
he
had
positively
declined
.
The
vicar
was
a
young
man
to
whom
the
living
had
lately
been
given
by
the
Chancellor
,
and
he
had
commenced
his
career
by
giving
instant
offence
to
the
Squire
.
This
vicar
's
predecessor
had
been
an
old
man
,
almost
as
old
as
the
Squire
himself
,
and
had
held
the
living
for
forty
years
.
He
had
been
a
Westmoreland
man
,
had
read
the
prayers
and
preached
his
one
Sunday
sermon
in
a
Westmoreland
dialect
,
getting
through
the
whole
operation
rather
within
an
hour
and
a
quarter
.
He
had
troubled
none
of
his
parishioners
by
much
advice
,
and
had
been
meek
and
obedient
to
the
Squire
.
Knowing
the
country
well
,
and
being
used
to
its
habits
,
he
had
lived
,
and
been
charitable
too
,
on
the
proceeds
of
his
living
,
which
had
never
reached
two
hundred
a
year
.
But
the
new
comer
was
a
close-fisted
man
,
with
higher
ideas
of
personal
comfort
,
who
found
it
necessary
to
make
every
penny
go
as
far
as
possible
,
who
made
up
in
preaching
for
what
he
could
not
give
away
in
charity
;
who
established
an
afternoon
service
,
and
who
had
rebuked
the
Squire
for
saying
that
the
doing
so
was
trash
and
nonsense
.
Since
that
the
Squire
had
never
been
inside
the
church
,
except
on
the
occasion
of
Christmas-day
.
For
this
,
indeed
,
the
state
of
his
health
gave
ample
excuse
;
but
he
had
positively
refused
to
see
the
vicar
,
though
that
gentleman
had
assiduously
called
,
and
had
at
last
desired
the
servant
to
tell
the
clergyman
not
to
come
again
unless
he
were
sent
for
.
Kate
's
task
was
,
therefore
,
difficult
,
both
as
regarded
the
temporal
and
spiritual
wants
of
her
grandfather
.
When
the
reading
was
finished
,
the
old
man
dozed
in
his
chair
for
half
an
hour
.
He
would
not
go
up
to
bed
before
the
enjoyment
of
that
luxury
.
He
was
daily
implored
to
do
so
,
because
that
sleep
in
the
chair
interfered
so
fatally
with
his
chance
of
sleeping
in
bed
.
But
sleep
in
his
chair
he
would
and
did
.
Then
he
woke
,
and
after
a
fit
of
coughing
,
was
induced
,
with
much
ill-humour
,
to
go
up
to
his
room
.
Kate
had
never
seen
him
so
weak
.
He
was
hardly
able
,
even
with
her
assistance
and
that
of
the
old
servant
,
to
get
up
the
broad
stairs
.
But
there
was
still
some
power
left
to
him
for
violence
of
language
after
he
got
to
his
room
,
and
he
rated
Kate
and
the
old
woman
loudly
,
because
his
slippers
were
not
in
the
proper
place
.
"
Grandfather
,
"
said
Kate
,
"
would
you
like
me
to
stay
in
the
room
with
you
to-night
?
"
He
rated
her
again
for
this
proposition
,
and
then
,
with
assistance
from
the
nurse
,
he
was
gotten
into
bed
and
was
left
alone
.
After
that
Kate
went
to
her
own
room
and
wrote
her
letters
.
The
first
she
wrote
was
to
her
aunt
Greenow
.
That
was
easily
enough
written
.
To
Mrs.
Greenow
it
was
not
necessary
that
she
should
say
anything
about
money
.
She
simply
stated
her
belief
that
her
grandfather
's
last
day
was
near
at
hand
,
and
begged
her
aunt
to
come
and
pay
a
last
visit
to
the
old
man
.
"
It
will
be
a
great
comfort
to
me
in
my
distress
,
"
she
said
;
"
and
it
will
be
a
satisfaction
to
you
to
have
seen
your
father
again
.
"
She
knew
that
her
aunt
would
come
,
and
that
task
was
soon
done
.
But
her
letter
to
her
brother
was
much
more
difficult
.
What
should
she
tell
him
,
and
what
should
she
not
tell
him
?
She
began
by
describing
her
grandfather
's
state
,
and
by
saying
to
him
,
as
she
had
done
to
Mrs.
Greenow
,
that
she
believed
the
old
man
's
hours
were
well-nigh
come
to
a
close
.
She
told
him
that
she
had
asked
her
aunt
to
come
to
her
;
"
not
,
"
she
said
,
"
that
I
think
her
coming
will
be
of
material
service
,
but
I
feel
the
loneliness
of
the
house
will
be
too
much
for
me
at
such
a
time
.
I
must
leave
it
for
you
to
decide
,
"
she
said
,
"
whether
you
had
better
be
here
.
If
anything
should
happen
,
"
—
people
when
writing
such
letters
are
always
afraid
to
speak
of
death
by
its
proper
name
,
—
"
I
will
send
you
a
message
,
and
no
doubt
you
would
come
at
once
.
"
Then
came
the
question
of
the
will
.
Had
it
not
occurred
to
her
that
her
own
interests
were
involved
she
would
have
said
nothing
on
the
subject
;
but
she
feared
her
brother
,
—
feared
even
his
misconstruction
of
her
motives
,
even
though
she
was
willing
to
sacrifice
so
much
on
his
behalf
,
—
and
therefore
she
resolved
to
tell
him
all
that
she
knew
.
He
might
turn
upon
her
hereafter
if
she
did
not
do
so
,
and
accuse
her
of
a
silence
which
had
been
prejudicial
to
him
.
So
she
told
it
all
,
and
the
letter
became
long
in
the
telling
.
"
I
write
with
a
heavy
heart
,
"
she
said
,
"
because
I
know
it
will
be
a
great
blow
to
you
.
He
gave
me
to
understand
that
in
this
will
he
left
everything
away
from
you
.
I
cannot
declare
that
he
said
so
directly
.
Indeed
I
cannot
remember
his
words
;
but
that
was
the
impression
he
left
on
me
.
The
day
before
he
had
asked
me
what
I
should
do
if
he
gave
me
the
estate
;
but
of
course
I
treated
that
as
a
joke
.
I
have
no
idea
what
he
put
into
his
will
.
I
have
not
even
attempted
to
guess
.
But
now
I
have
told
you
all
that
I
know
.
"
The
letter
was
a
very
long
one
,
and
was
not
finished
till
late
;
but
when
it
was
completed
she
had
the
two
taken
out
into
the
kitchen
,
as
the
boy
was
to
start
with
them
before
daylight
.
Early
on
the
next
morning
she
crept
silently
into
her
grandfather
's
room
,
as
was
her
habit
;
but
he
was
apparently
sleeping
,
and
then
she
crept
back
again
.
The
old
servant
told
her
that
the
Squire
had
been
awake
at
four
,
and
at
five
,
and
at
six
,
and
had
called
for
her
.
Then
he
had
seemed
to
go
to
sleep
.
Four
or
five
times
in
the
course
of
the
morning
Kate
went
into
the
room
,
but
her
grandfather
did
not
notice
her
.
At
last
she
feared
he
might
already
have
passed
away
,
and
she
put
her
hand
upon
his
shoulder
,
and
down
his
arm
.
He
then
gently
touched
her
hand
with
his
,
showing
her
plainly
that
he
was
not
only
alive
,
but
conscious
.
She
then
offered
him
food
,
—
the
thin
porridge
,
—
which
he
was
wont
to
take
,
and
the
medicine
.
She
offered
him
some
wine
too
,
but
he
would
take
nothing
.
At
twelve
o'clock
a
letter
was
brought
to
her
,
which
had
come
by
the
post
.
She
saw
that
it
was
from
Alice
,
and
opening
it
found
that
it
was
very
long
.
At
that
moment
she
could
not
read
it
,
but
she
saw
words
in
it
that
made
her
wish
to
know
its
contents
as
quickly
as
possible
.
But
she
could
not
leave
her
grandfather
then
.
At
two
o'clock
the
doctor
came
to
him
,
and
remained
there
till
the
dusk
of
the
evening
had
commenced
.
At
eight
o'clock
the
old
man
was
dead
.
CHAPTER
LIV
.
Showing
How
Alice
Was
Punished
.
Poor
Kate
's
condition
at
the
old
Hall
on
that
night
was
very
sad
.
The
presence
of
death
is
always
a
source
of
sorrow
,
even
though
the
circumstances
of
the
case
are
of
a
kind
to
create
no
agony
of
grief
.
The
old
man
who
had
just
passed
away
up-stairs
was
fully
due
to
go
.
He
had
lived
his
span
all
out
,
and
had
himself
known
that
to
die
was
the
one
thing
left
for
him
to
do
.
Kate
also
had
expected
his
death
,
and
had
felt
that
the
time
had
come
in
which
it
would
be
foolish
even
to
wish
that
it
should
be
arrested
.
But
death
close
to
one
is
always
sad
as
it
is
solemn
.
And
she
was
quite
alone
at
Vavasor
Hall
.
She
had
no
acquaintance
within
some
miles
of
her
.
From
the
young
vicar
,
though
she
herself
had
not
quarrelled
with
him
,
she
could
receive
no
comfort
,
as
she
hardly
knew
him
;
nor
was
she
of
a
temperament
which
would
dispose
her
to
turn
to
a
clergyman
at
such
a
time
for
comfort
,
unless
to
one
who
might
have
been
an
old
friend
.
Her
aunt
and
brother
would
probably
both
come
to
her
,
but
they
could
hardly
be
with
her
for
a
day
or
two
,
and
during
that
day
or
two
it
would
be
needful
that
orders
should
be
given
which
it
is
disagreeable
for
a
woman
to
have
to
give
.
The
servants
,
moreover
,
in
the
house
were
hardly
fit
to
assist
her
much
.
There
was
an
old
butler
,
or
footman
,
who
had
lived
at
the
Hall
for
more
than
fifty
years
,
but
he
was
crippled
with
rheumatism
,
and
so
laden
with
maladies
,
that
he
rarely
crept
out
of
his
own
room
.
He
was
simply
an
additional
burden
on
the
others
.
There
was
a
boy
who
had
lately
done
all
the
work
which
the
other
should
have
done
,
and
ever
so
much
more
beside
.
There
is
no
knowing
how
much
work
such
a
boy
will
do
when
properly
drilled
,
and
he
was
now
Kate
's
best
minister
in
her
distress
.
There
was
the
old
nurse
,
—
but
she
had
been
simply
good
for
nursing
,
and
there
were
two
rough
Westmoreland
girls
who
called
themselves
cook
and
housemaid
.
On
that
first
evening
,
—
the
very
day
on
which
her
grandfather
had
died
,
—
Kate
would
have
been
more
comfortable
had
she
really
found
something
that
she
could
do
.
But
there
was
in
truth
nothing
.
She
hovered
for
an
hour
or
two
in
and
out
of
the
room
,
conscious
of
the
letter
which
she
had
in
her
pocket
,
and
very
desirous
in
heart
of
reading
it
,
but
restrained
by
a
feeling
that
at
such
a
moment
she
ought
to
think
only
of
the
dead
.
In
this
she
was
wrong
.
Let
the
living
think
of
the
dead
,
when
their
thoughts
will
travel
that
way
whether
the
thinker
wish
it
or
no.
Grief
taken
up
because
grief
is
supposed
to
be
proper
,
is
only
one
degree
better
than
pretended
grief
.
When
one
sees
it
,
one
cannot
but
think
of
the
lady
who
asked
her
friend
,
in
confidence
,
whether
hot
roast
fowl
and
bread-sauce
were
compatible
with
the
earliest
state
of
weeds
;
or
of
that
other
lady
,
—
a
royal
lady
she
,
—
who
was
much
comforted
in
the
tedium
of
her
trouble
when
assured
by
one
of
the
lords
about
the
Court
that
piquet
was
mourning
.
It
was
late
at
night
,
near
eleven
,
before
Kate
took
out
her
letter
and
read
it
.
As
something
of
my
story
hangs
upon
it
,
I
will
give
it
at
length
,
though
it
was
a
long
letter
.
It
had
been
written
with
great
struggles
,
and
with
many
tears
,
and
Kate
,
as
she
read
it
to
the
end
,
almost
forgot
that
her
grandfather
was
lying
dead
in
the
room
above
her
.
Queen
Anne
Street
,
April
,
186
–
–
.
Dearest
Kate
,
I
hardly
know
how
to
write
to
you
—
what
I
have
to
tell
,
and
yet
I
must
tell
it
.
I
must
tell
it
to
you
,
but
I
shall
never
repeat
the
story
to
any
one
else
.
I
should
have
written
yesterday
,
when
it
occurred
,
but
I
was
so
ill
that
I
felt
myself
unable
to
make
the
exertion
.
Indeed
,
at
one
time
,
after
your
brother
had
left
me
,
I
almost
doubted
whether
I
should
ever
be
able
to
collect
my
thoughts
again
.
My
dismay
was
at
first
so
great
that
my
reason
for
a
time
deserted
me
,
and
I
could
only
sit
and
cry
like
an
idiot
.
Dear
Kate
,
I
hope
you
will
not
be
angry
with
me
for
telling
you
.
I
have
endeavoured
to
think
about
it
as
calmly
as
I
can
,
and
I
believe
that
I
have
no
alternative
.
The
fact
that
your
brother
has
quarrelled
with
me
cannot
be
concealed
from
you
,
and
I
must
not
leave
him
to
tell
you
of
the
manner
of
it
.
He
came
to
me
yesterday
in
great
anger
.
His
anger
then
was
nothing
to
what
it
became
afterwards
;
but
even
when
he
first
came
in
he
was
full
of
wrath
.
He
stood
up
before
me
,
and
asked
me
how
it
had
come
to
pass
that
I
had
sent
him
the
money
which
he
had
asked
of
me
through
the
hands
of
Mr.
Grey
.
Of
course
I
had
not
done
this
,
and
so
I
told
him
at
once
.
I
had
spoken
of
the
matter
to
no
one
but
papa
,
and
he
had
managed
it
for
me
.
Even
now
I
know
nothing
of
it
,
and
as
I
have
not
yet
spoken
to
papa
I
cannot
understand
it
.
George
at
once
told
me
that
he
disbelieved
me
,
and
when
I
sat
quiet
under
this
insult
,
he
used
harsher
words
,
and
said
that
I
had
conspired
to
lower
him
before
the
world
.
He
then
asked
me
whether
I
loved
him
.
Oh
,
Kate
,
I
must
tell
it
you
all
,
though
it
is
dreadful
to
me
that
I
should
have
to
write
it
.
You
remember
how
it
came
to
pass
when
we
were
in
Westmoreland
together
at
Christmas
?
Do
not
think
that
I
am
blaming
you
,
but
I
was
very
rash
then
in
the
answers
which
I
made
to
him
.
I
thought
that
I
could
be
useful
to
him
as
his
wife
,
and
I
had
told
myself
that
it
would
be
good
that
I
should
be
of
use
in
some
way
.
When
he
asked
me
that
question
yesterday
,
I
sat
silent
.
Indeed
,
how
could
I
have
answered
it
in
the
affirmative
,
when
he
had
just
used
such
language
to
me
,
—
while
he
was
standing
opposite
to
me
,
looking
at
me
in
that
way
which
he
has
when
he
is
enraged
?
Then
he
spoke
again
and
demanded
of
me
that
I
should
at
once
send
back
to
Mr.
Grey
all
presents
of
his
which
I
had
kept
,
and
at
the
same
time
took
up
and
threw
across
the
table
on
to
the
sofa
near
me
,
a
little
paper
knife
which
Mr.
Grey
once
gave
me
.
I
could
not
allow
myself
to
be
so
ordered
by
him
;
so
I
said
nothing
,
but
put
the
knife
back
upon
the
table
.
He
then
took
it
again
and
threw
it
beneath
the
grate
.
"
I
have
a
right
to
look
upon
you
as
my
wife
,
"
he
said
,
"
and
,
as
such
,
I
will
not
allow
you
to
keep
that
man
's
things
about
you
.
"
I
think
I
told
him
then
that
I
should
never
become
his
wife
,
but
though
I
remember
many
of
his
words
,
I
remember
none
of
my
own
.
He
swore
,
I
know
,
with
a
great
oath
,
that
if
I
went
back
a
second
time
from
my
word
to
him
he
would
leave
me
no
peace
,
—
that
he
would
punish
me
for
my
perfidy
with
some
fearful
punishment
.
Oh
,
Kate
,
I
cannot
tell
you
what
he
looked
like
.
He
had
then
come
quite
close
to
me
,
and
I
know
that
I
trembled
before
him
as
though
he
were
going
to
strike
me
.
Of
course
I
said
nothing
.
What
could
I
say
to
a
man
who
behaved
to
me
in
such
a
manner
?
Then
,
as
far
as
I
can
remember
it
,
he
sat
down
and
began
to
talk
about
money
.
I
forget
what
he
said
at
first
,
but
I
know
that
I
assured
him
that
he
might
take
what
he
wanted
so
long
as
enough
was
left
to
prevent
my
being
absolutely
a
burden
on
papa
.
"
That
,
madam
,
is
a
matter
of
course
,
"
he
said
.
I
remember
those
words
so
well
.
Then
he
explained
that
after
what
had
passed
between
us
,
I
had
no
right
to
ruin
him
by
keeping
back
from
him
money
which
had
been
promised
to
him
,
and
which
was
essential
to
his
success
.
In
this
,
dear
Kate
,
I
think
he
was
mainly
right
.
But
he
could
not
have
been
right
in
putting
it
to
me
in
that
hard
,
cruel
manner
,
especially
as
I
had
never
refused
anything
that
he
had
asked
of
me
in
respect
of
money
.
The
money
he
may
have
while
it
lasts
;
but
then
there
must
be
an
end
of
it
all
between
us
,
even
though
he
should
have
the
power
of
punishing
me
,
as
he
says
he
will
do
.
Punishing
me
,
indeed
!
What
punishment
can
be
so
hard
as
that
which
he
has
already
inflicted
?
He
then
desired
me
to
write
a
letter
to
him
which
he
might
show
to
the
lawyer
,
—
to
our
own
lawyer
,
I
think
he
meant
,
—
in
order
that
money
might
be
raised
to
pay
back
what
Mr.
Grey
had
advanced
,
and
give
him
what
he
now
required
.
I
think
he
said
it
was
to
be
five
thousand
pounds
.
When
he
asked
this
I
did
not
move
.
Indeed
,
I
was
unable
to
move
.
Then
he
spoke
very
loud
,
and
swore
at
me
again
,
and
brought
me
pen
and
ink
,
demanding
that
I
should
write
the
letter
.
I
was
so
frightened
that
I
thought
of
running
to
the
door
to
escape
,
and
I
would
have
done
so
had
I
not
distrusted
my
own
power
.
Had
it
been
to
save
my
life
I
could
not
have
written
the
letter
.
I
believe
I
was
now
crying
,
—
at
any
rate
I
threw
myself
back
and
covered
my
face
with
my
hands
.
Then
he
came
and
sat
by
me
,
and
took
hold
of
my
arms
.
Oh
,
Kate
;
I
cannot
tell
it
you
all
.
He
put
his
mouth
close
to
my
ear
,
and
said
words
which
were
terrible
,
though
I
did
not
understand
them
.
I
do
not
know
what
it
was
he
said
,
but
he
was
threatening
me
with
his
anger
if
I
did
not
obey
him
.
Before
he
left
me
,
I
believe
I
found
my
voice
to
tell
him
that
he
should
certainly
have
the
money
which
he
required
.
And
so
he
shall
.
I
will
go
to
Mr.
Round
myself
,
and
insist
on
its
being
done
.
My
money
is
my
own
,
and
I
may
do
with
it
as
I
please
.
But
I
hope
,
—
I
am
obliged
to
hope
,
that
I
may
never
be
made
to
see
my
cousin
again
.
I
will
not
pretend
to
express
any
opinion
as
to
the
cause
of
all
this
.
It
is
very
possible
that
you
will
not
believe
all
I
say
,
—
that
you
will
think
that
I
am
mad
and
have
deluded
myself
.
Of
course
your
heart
will
prompt
you
to
accuse
me
rather
than
him
.
If
it
is
so
,
and
if
there
must
therefore
be
a
division
between
us
,
my
grief
will
be
greatly
increased
;
but
I
do
not
know
that
I
can
help
it
.
I
cannot
keep
all
this
back
from
you
.
He
has
cruelly
ill-used
me
and
insulted
me
.
He
has
treated
me
as
I
should
have
thought
no
man
could
have
treated
a
woman
.
As
regards
money
,
I
did
all
that
I
could
do
to
show
that
I
trusted
him
thoroughly
,
and
my
confidence
has
only
led
to
suspicion
.
I
do
not
know
whether
he
understands
that
everything
must
be
over
between
us
;
but
,
if
not
,
I
must
ask
you
to
tell
him
so
.
And
I
must
ask
you
to
explain
to
him
that
he
must
not
come
again
to
Queen
Anne
Street
.
If
he
does
,
nothing
shall
induce
me
to
see
him
.
Tell
him
also
that
the
money
that
he
wants
shall
assuredly
be
sent
to
him
as
soon
as
I
can
make
Mr.
Round
get
it
.
Dearest
Kate
,
good-bye
.
I
hope
you
will
feel
for
me
.
If
you
do
not
answer
me
I
shall
presume
that
you
think
yourself
bound
to
support
his
side
,
and
to
believe
me
to
have
been
wrong
.
It
will
make
me
very
unhappy
;
but
I
shall
remember
that
you
are
his
sister
,
and
I
shall
not
be
angry
with
you
.
Yours
always
affectionately
,
Alice
Vavasor
.
Kate
,
as
she
read
her
letter
through
,
at
first
quickly
,
and
then
very
slowly
,
came
by
degrees
almost
to
forget
that
death
was
in
the
house
.
Her
mind
,
and
heart
,
and
brain
,
were
filled
with
thoughts
and
feelings
that
had
exclusive
reference
to
Alice
and
her
brother
,
and
at
last
she
found
herself
walking
the
room
with
quick
,
impetuous
steps
,
while
her
blood
was
hot
with
indignation
.
All
her
sympathies
in
the
matter
were
with
Alice
.
It
never
occurred
to
her
to
disbelieve
a
word
of
the
statement
made
to
her
,
or
to
suggest
to
herself
that
it
had
been
coloured
by
any
fears
or
exaggerations
on
the
part
of
her
correspondent
.
She
knew
that
Alice
was
true
.
And
,
moreover
,
much
as
she
loved
her
brother
,
—
willing
as
she
had
been
and
would
still
be
to
risk
all
that
she
possessed
,
and
herself
also
,
on
his
behalf
,
—
she
knew
that
it
would
be
risking
and
not
trusting
.
She
loved
her
brother
,
such
love
having
come
to
her
by
nature
,
and
having
remained
with
her
from
of
old
;
and
in
his
intellect
she
still
believed
.
But
she
had
ceased
to
have
belief
in
his
conduct
.
She
feared
everything
that
he
might
do
,
and
lived
with
a
consciousness
that
though
she
was
willing
to
connect
all
her
own
fortunes
with
his
,
she
had
much
reason
to
expect
that
she
might
encounter
ruin
in
doing
so
.
Her
sin
had
been
in
this
,
—
that
she
had
been
anxious
to
subject
Alice
to
the
same
danger
,
—
that
she
had
intrigued
,
sometimes
very
meanly
,
to
bring
about
the
object
which
she
had
at
heart
,
—
that
she
had
used
all
her
craft
to
separate
Alice
from
Mr.
Grey
.
Perhaps
it
may
be
alleged
in
her
excuse
that
she
had
thought
,
—
had
hoped
rather
than
thought
,
—
that
the
marriage
which
she
contemplated
would
change
much
in
her
brother
that
was
wrong
,
and
bring
him
into
a
mode
of
life
that
would
not
be
dangerous
.
Might
not
she
and
Alice
together
so
work
upon
him
,
that
he
should
cease
to
stand
ever
on
the
brink
of
some
half-seen
precipice
?
To
risk
herself
for
her
brother
was
noble
.
But
when
she
used
her
cunning
in
inducing
her
cousin
to
share
that
risk
she
was
ignoble
.
Of
this
she
had
herself
some
consciousness
,
as
she
walked
up
and
down
the
old
dining-room
at
midnight
,
holding
her
cousin
's
letter
in
her
hand
.
Her
cheeks
became
tinged
with
shame
as
she
thought
of
the
scene
which
Alice
had
described
,
—
the
toy
thrown
beneath
the
grate
,
the
loud
curses
,
the
whispered
threats
,
which
had
been
more
terrible
than
curses
,
the
demand
for
money
,
made
with
something
worse
than
a
cut-throat
's
violence
,
the
strong
man
's
hand
placed
upon
the
woman
's
arm
in
anger
and
in
rage
,
those
eyes
glaring
,
and
the
gaping
horror
of
that
still
raw
cicatrice
,
as
he
pressed
his
face
close
to
that
of
his
victim
!
Not
for
a
moment
did
she
think
of
defending
him
.
She
accused
him
to
herself
vehemently
of
a
sin
over
and
above
those
sins
which
had
filled
Alice
with
dismay
.
He
had
demanded
money
from
the
girl
whom
he
intended
to
marry
!
According
to
Kate
's
idea
,
nothing
could
excuse
or
palliate
this
sin
.
Alice
had
accounted
it
as
nothing
,
—
had
expressed
her
opinion
that
the
demand
was
reasonable
;
—
even
now
,
after
the
ill-usage
to
which
she
had
been
subjected
,
she
had
declared
that
the
money
should
be
forthcoming
,
and
given
to
the
man
who
had
treated
her
so
shamefully
.
It
might
be
well
that
Alice
should
so
feel
and
so
act
,
but
it
behoved
Kate
to
feel
and
act
very
differently
.
She
would
tell
her
brother
,
even
in
the
house
of
death
,
should
he
come
there
,
that
his
conduct
was
mean
and
unmanly
.
Kate
was
no
coward
.
She
declared
to
herself
that
she
would
do
this
even
though
he
should
threaten
her
with
all
his
fury
,
—
though
he
should
glare
upon
her
with
all
the
horrors
of
his
countenance
.
One
o'clock
,
and
two
o'clock
,
still
found
her
in
the
dark
sombre
parlour
,
every
now
and
then
pacing
the
floor
of
the
room
.
The
fire
had
gone
out
,
and
,
though
it
was
now
the
middle
of
April
,
she
began
to
feel
the
cold
.
But
she
would
not
go
to
bed
before
she
had
written
a
line
to
Alice
.
To
her
brother
a
message
by
telegraph
would
of
course
be
sent
the
next
morning
;
as
also
would
she
send
a
message
to
her
aunt
.
But
to
Alice
she
would
write
,
though
it
might
be
but
a
line
.
Cold
as
she
was
,
she
found
her
pens
and
paper
,
and
wrote
her
letter
that
night
.
It
was
very
short
.
"
Dear
Alice
,
to-day
I
received
your
letter
,
and
to-day
our
poor
old
grandfather
died
.
Tell
my
uncle
John
,
with
my
love
,
of
his
father
's
death
.
You
will
understand
that
I
cannot
write
much
now
about
that
other
matter
;
but
I
must
tell
you
,
even
at
such
a
moment
as
this
,
that
there
shall
be
no
quarrel
between
you
and
me
.
There
shall
be
none
at
least
on
my
side
.
I
cannot
say
more
till
a
few
days
shall
have
passed
by
.
He
is
lying
up-stairs
,
a
corpse
.
I
have
telegraphed
to
George
,
and
I
suppose
he
will
come
down
.
I
think
my
aunt
Greenow
will
come
also
,
as
I
had
written
to
her
before
,
seeing
that
I
wanted
the
comfort
of
having
her
here
.
Uncle
John
will
of
course
come
or
not
as
he
thinks
fitting
.
I
do
n't
know
whether
I
am
in
a
position
to
say
that
I
shall
be
glad
to
see
him
;
but
I
should
be
very
glad
.
He
and
you
will
know
that
I
can
,
as
yet
,
tell
you
nothing
further
.
The
lawyer
is
to
see
the
men
about
the
funeral
.
Nothing
,
I
suppose
,
will
be
done
till
George
comes
.
Your
own
cousin
and
friend
,
Kate
Vavasor
.
"
And
then
she
added
a
line
below
,
"
My
own
Alice
,
—
If
you
will
let
me
,
you
shall
be
my
sister
,
and
be
the
nearest
to
me
and
the
dearest
.
"
Alice
,
when
she
received
this
,
was
at
the
first
moment
so
much
struck
,
and
indeed
surprised
,
by
the
tidings
of
her
grandfather
's
death
,
that
she
was
forced
,
in
spite
of
the
still
existing
violence
of
her
own
feelings
,
to
think
and
act
chiefly
with
reference
to
that
event
.
Her
father
had
not
then
left
his
room
.
She
therefore
went
to
him
,
and
handed
him
Kate
's
letter
.
"
Papa
,
"
she
said
,
"
there
is
news
from
Westmoreland
;
bad
news
,
which
you
hardly
expected
yet
.
"
"
My
father
is
dead
,
"
said
John
Vavasor
.
Whereupon
Alice
gave
him
Kate
's
letter
,
that
he
might
read
it
.
"
Of
course
I
shall
go
down
,
"
he
said
,
as
he
came
to
that
part
in
which
Kate
had
spoken
of
him
.
"
Does
she
think
I
shall
not
follow
my
father
to
the
grave
,
because
I
dislike
her
brother
?
What
does
she
mean
by
saying
that
there
shall
be
no
quarrel
between
you
and
her
?
"
"
I
will
explain
that
at
another
time
,
"
said
Alice
.
John
Vavasor
asked
no
further
questions
then
,
but
declared
at
first
that
he
should
go
to
Westmoreland
on
the
following
day
.
Then
he
altered
his
purpose
.
"
I
'll
go
by
the
mail
train
to-night
,
"
he
said
.
"
It
will
be
very
disagreeable
,
but
I
ought
to
be
there
when
the
will
is
opened
.
"
There
was
very
little
more
said
in
Queen
Anne
Street
on
the
subject
till
the
evening
,
—
till
a
few
moments
before
Mr.
Vavasor
left
his
house
.
He
indeed
had
thought
nothing
more
about
that
quarrelling
,
or
rather
that
promise
that
there
should
be
no
quarrelling
,
between
the
girls
.
He
still
regarded
his
nephew
George
as
the
man
who
,
unfortunately
,
was
to
be
his
son-in-law
,
and
now
,
during
this
tedious
sad
day
,
in
which
he
felt
himself
compelled
to
remain
at
home
,
he
busied
his
mind
in
thinking
of
George
and
Alice
,
as
living
together
at
the
old
Hall
.
At
six
,
the
father
and
daughter
dined
,
and
soon
after
dinner
Mr.
Vavasor
went
up
to
his
own
room
to
prepare
himself
for
his
journey
.
After
a
while
Alice
followed
him
,
—
but
she
did
not
do
so
till
she
knew
that
if
anything
was
to
be
told
before
the
journey
no
further
time
could
be
lost
.
"
Papa
,
"
she
said
,
as
soon
as
she
had
shut
the
door
behind
her
,
"
I
think
I
ought
to
tell
you
before
you
go
that
everything
is
over
between
me
and
George
.
"
"
Have
you
quarrelled
with
him
too
?
"
said
her
father
,
with
uncontrolled
surprise
.
"
I
should
perhaps
say
that
he
has
quarrelled
with
me
.
But
,
dear
papa
,
pray
do
not
question
me
at
present
.
I
will
tell
you
all
when
you
come
back
,
but
I
thought
it
right
that
you
should
know
this
before
you
went
.
"
"
It
has
been
his
doing
then
?
"
"
I
cannot
explain
it
to
you
in
a
hurry
like
this
.
Papa
,
you
may
understand
something
of
the
shame
which
I
feel
,
and
you
should
not
question
me
now
.
"
"
And
John
Grey
?
"
"
There
is
nothing
different
in
regard
to
him
.
"
"
I
'll
be
shot
if
I
can
understand
you
.
George
,
you
know
,
has
had
two
thousand
pounds
of
your
money
,
—
of
yours
or
somebody
else
's
.
Well
,
we
ca
n't
talk
about
it
now
,
as
I
must
be
off
.
Thinking
as
I
do
of
George
,
I
'm
glad
of
it
,
—
that
's
all
.
"
Then
he
went
,
and
Alice
was
left
alone
,
to
comfort
herself
as
best
she
might
by
her
own
reflections
.
George
Vavasor
had
received
the
message
on
the
day
previous
to
that
on
which
Alice
's
letter
had
reached
her
,
but
it
had
not
come
to
him
till
late
in
the
day
.
He
might
have
gone
down
by
the
mail
train
of
that
night
,
but
there
were
one
or
two
persons
,
his
own
attorney
especially
,
whom
he
wished
to
see
before
the
reading
of
his
grandfather
's
will
.
He
remained
in
town
,
therefore
,
on
the
following
day
,
and
went
down
by
the
same
train
as
that
which
took
his
uncle
.
Walking
along
the
platform
,
looking
for
a
seat
,
he
peered
into
a
carriage
and
met
his
uncle
's
eye
.
The
two
saw
each
other
,
but
did
not
speak
,
and
George
passed
on
to
another
carriage
.
On
the
following
morning
,
before
the
break
of
day
,
they
met
again
in
the
refreshment
room
,
at
the
station
at
Lancaster
.
"
So
my
father
has
gone
,
George
,
"
said
the
uncle
,
speaking
to
the
nephew
.
They
must
go
to
the
same
house
,
and
Mr.
Vavasor
felt
that
it
would
be
better
that
they
should
be
on
speaking
terms
when
they
reached
it
.
"
Yes
,
"
said
George
;
"
he
has
gone
at
last
.
I
wonder
what
we
shall
find
to
have
been
his
latest
act
of
injustice
.
"
The
reader
will
remember
that
he
had
received
Kate
's
first
letter
,
in
which
she
had
told
him
of
the
Squire
's
altered
will
.
John
Vavasor
turned
away
disgusted
.
His
finer
feelings
were
perhaps
not
very
strong
,
but
he
had
no
thoughts
or
hopes
in
reference
to
the
matter
which
were
mean
.
He
expected
nothing
himself
,
and
did
not
begrudge
his
nephew
the
inheritance
.
At
this
moment
he
was
thinking
of
the
old
Squire
as
a
father
who
had
ever
been
kind
to
him
.
It
might
be
natural
that
George
should
have
no
such
old
affection
at
his
heart
,
but
it
was
unnatural
that
he
should
express
himself
as
he
had
done
at
such
a
moment
.
The
uncle
turned
away
,
but
said
nothing
.
George
followed
him
with
a
little
proposition
of
his
own
.
"
We
sha
n't
get
any
conveyance
at
Shap
,
"
he
said
.
"
Had
n't
we
better
go
over
in
a
chaise
from
Kendal
?
"
To
this
the
uncle
assented
,
and
so
they
finished
their
journey
together
.
George
smoked
all
the
time
that
they
were
in
the
carriage
,
and
very
few
words
were
spoken
.
As
they
drove
up
to
the
old
house
,
they
found
that
another
arrival
had
taken
place
before
them
,
—
Mrs
.
Greenow
having
reached
the
house
in
some
vehicle
from
the
Shap
station
.
She
had
come
across
from
Norwich
to
Manchester
,
where
she
had
joined
the
train
which
had
brought
the
uncle
and
nephew
from
London
.
CHAPTER
LV
.
The
Will
.
The
coming
of
Mrs.
Greenow
at
this
very
moment
was
a
great
comfort
to
Kate
.
Without
her
she
would
hardly
have
known
how
to
bear
herself
with
her
uncle
and
her
brother
.
As
it
was
,
they
were
all
restrained
by
something
of
the
courtesy
which
strangers
are
bound
to
show
to
each
other
.
George
had
never
seen
his
aunt
since
he
was
a
child
,
and
some
sort
of
introduction
was
necessary
between
them
.
"
So
you
are
George
,
"
said
Mrs.
Greenow
,
putting
out
her
hand
and
smiling
.
"
Yes
;
I
'm
George
,
"
said
he
.
"
And
a
Member
of
Parliament
!
"
said
Mrs.
Greenow
.
"
It
's
quite
an
honour
to
the
family
.
I
felt
so
proud
when
I
heard
it
!
"
She
said
this
pleasantly
,
meaning
it
to
be
taken
for
truth
,
and
then
turned
away
to
her
brother
.
"
Papa
's
time
was
fully
come
,
"
she
said
,
"
though
,
to
tell
the
truth
,
I
had
no
idea
that
he
was
so
weak
as
Kate
describes
him
to
have
been
.
"
"
Nor
I
,
either
,
"
said
John
Vavasor
.
"
He
went
to
church
with
us
here
on
Christmas-day
.
"
"
Did
he
,
indeed
?
Dear
,
dear
!
He
seems
at
last
to
have
gone
off
just
like
poor
Greenow
.
"
Here
she
put
her
handkerchief
up
to
her
face
.
"
I
think
you
did
n't
know
Greenow
,
John
?
"
"
I
met
him
once
,
"
said
her
brother
.
"
Ah
!
he
was
n't
to
be
known
and
understood
in
that
way
.
I
'm
aware
there
was
a
little
prejudice
,
because
of
his
being
in
trade
,
but
we
wo
n't
talk
of
that
now
.
Where
should
I
have
been
without
him
,
tradesman
or
no
tradesman
?
"
"
I
've
no
doubt
he
was
an
excellent
man
.
"
"
You
may
say
that
,
John
.
Ah
,
well
!
we
ca
n't
keep
everything
in
this
life
for
ever
.
"
It
may
,
perhaps
,
be
as
well
to
explain
now
that
Mrs.
Greenow
had
told
Captain
Bellfield
at
their
last
meeting
before
she
left
Norwich
,
that
,
under
certain
circumstances
,
if
he
behaved
himself
well
,
there
might
possibly
be
ground
of
hope
.
Whereupon
Captain
Bellfield
had
immediately
gone
to
the
best
tailor
in
that
city
,
had
told
the
man
of
his
coming
marriage
,
and
had
given
an
extensive
order
.
But
the
tailor
had
not
as
yet
supplied
the
goods
,
waiting
for
more
credible
evidence
of
the
Captain
's
good
fortune
.
"
We
're
all
grass
of
the
field
,
"
said
Mrs.
Greenow
,
lightly
brushing
a
tear
from
her
eye
,
"
and
must
be
cut
down
and
put
into
the
oven
in
our
turns
.
"
Her
brother
uttered
a
slight
sympathetic
groan
,
shaking
his
head
in
testimony
of
the
uncertainty
of
human
affairs
,
and
then
said
that
he
would
go
out
and
look
about
the
place
.
George
,
in
the
meantime
,
had
asked
his
sister
to
show
him
his
room
,
and
the
two
were
already
together
up-stairs
.
Kate
had
made
up
her
mind
that
she
would
say
nothing
about
Alice
at
the
present
moment
,
—
nothing
,
if
it
could
be
avoided
,
till
after
the
funeral
.
She
led
the
way
up-stairs
,
almost
trembling
with
fear
,
for
she
knew
that
that
other
subject
of
the
will
would
also
give
rise
to
trouble
and
sorrow
,
—
perhaps
,
also
,
to
determined
quarrelling
.
"
What
has
brought
that
woman
here
?
"
was
the
first
question
that
George
asked
.
"
I
asked
her
to
come
,
"
said
Kate
.
"
And
why
did
you
ask
her
to
come
here
?
"
said
George
,
angrily
.
Kate
immediately
felt
that
he
was
speaking
as
though
he
were
master
of
the
house
,
and
also
as
though
he
intended
to
be
master
of
her
.
As
regarded
the
former
idea
,
she
had
no
objection
to
it
.
She
thoroughly
and
honestly
wished
that
he
might
be
the
master
;
and
though
she
feared
that
he
might
find
himself
mistaken
in
his
assumption
,
she
herself
was
not
disposed
to
deny
any
appearance
of
right
that
he
might
take
upon
himself
in
that
respect
.
But
she
had
already
begun
to
tell
herself
that
she
must
not
submit
herself
to
his
masterdom
.
She
had
gradually
so
taught
herself
since
he
had
compelled
her
to
write
the
first
letter
in
which
Alice
had
been
asked
to
give
her
money
.
"
I
asked
her
,
George
,
before
my
poor
grandfather
's
death
,
when
I
thought
that
he
would
linger
perhaps
for
weeks
.
My
life
here
alone
with
him
,
without
any
other
woman
in
the
house
beside
the
servants
,
was
very
melancholy
.
"
"
Why
did
you
not
ask
Alice
to
come
to
you
?
"
"
Alice
could
not
have
come
,
"
said
Kate
,
after
a
short
pause
.
"
I
do
n't
know
why
she
should
n't
have
come
.
I
wo
n't
have
that
woman
about
the
place
.
She
disgraced
herself
by
marrying
a
blacksmith
—
.
"
"
Why
,
George
,
it
was
you
yourself
who
advised
me
to
go
and
stay
with
her
.
"
"
That
's
a
very
different
thing
.
Now
that
he
's
dead
,
and
she
's
got
his
money
,
it
's
all
very
well
that
you
should
go
to
her
occasionally
;
but
I
wo
n't
have
her
here
.
"
"
It
's
natural
that
she
should
come
to
her
father
's
house
at
her
father
's
death-bed
.
"
"
I
hate
to
be
told
that
things
are
natural
.
It
always
means
humbug
.
I
do
n't
suppose
she
cared
for
the
old
man
any
more
than
I
did
,
—
or
than
she
cared
for
the
other
old
man
who
married
her
.
People
are
such
intense
hypocrites
.
There
's
my
uncle
John
,
pulling
a
long
face
because
he
has
come
into
this
house
,
and
he
will
pull
it
as
long
as
the
body
lies
up
there
;
and
yet
for
the
last
twenty
years
there
's
nothing
on
earth
he
has
so
much
hated
as
going
to
see
his
father
.
When
are
they
going
to
bury
him
?
"
"
On
Saturday
,
the
day
after
to-morrow
.
"
"
Why
could
n't
they
do
it
to-morrow
,
so
that
we
could
get
away
before
Sunday
?
"
"
He
only
died
on
Monday
,
George
,
"
said
Kate
,
solemnly
.
"
Psha
!
Who
has
got
the
will
?
"
"
Mr.
Gogram
.
He
was
here
yesterday
,
and
told
me
to
tell
you
and
uncle
John
that
he
would
have
it
with
him
when
he
came
back
from
the
funeral
.
"
"
What
has
my
uncle
John
to
do
with
it
?
"
said
George
,
sharply
.
"
I
shall
go
over
to
Penrith
this
afternoon
and
make
Gogram
give
it
up
to
me
.
"
"
I
do
n't
think
he
'll
do
that
,
George
.
"
"
What
right
has
he
to
keep
it
?
What
right
has
he
to
it
at
all
?
How
do
I
know
that
he
has
really
got
the
old
man
's
last
will
?
Where
did
my
grandfather
keep
his
papers
?
"
"
In
that
old
secretary
,
as
he
used
to
call
it
;
the
one
that
stands
in
the
dining-room
.
It
is
sealed
up
.
"
"
Who
sealed
it
?
"
"
Mr.
Gogram
did
,
—
Mr
.
Gogram
and
I
together
.
"
"
What
the
deuce
made
you
meddle
with
it
?
"
"
I
merely
assisted
him
.
But
I
believe
he
was
quite
right
.
I
think
it
is
usual
in
such
cases
.
"
"
Balderdash
!
You
are
thinking
of
some
old
trumpery
of
former
days
.
Till
I
know
to
the
contrary
,
everything
here
belongs
to
me
as
heir-at-law
,
and
I
do
not
mean
to
allow
of
any
interference
till
I
know
for
certain
that
my
rights
have
been
taken
from
me
.
And
I
wo
n't
accept
a
death-bed
will
.
What
a
man
chooses
to
write
when
his
fingers
will
hardly
hold
the
pen
,
goes
for
nothing
.
"
"
You
ca
n't
suppose
that
I
wish
to
interfere
with
your
rights
?
"
"
I
hope
not
.
"
"
Oh
,
George
!
"
"
Well
;
I
say
,
I
hope
not
.
But
I
know
there
are
those
who
would
.
Do
you
think
my
uncle
John
would
not
interfere
with
me
if
he
could
?
By
–
–
–
–
!
if
he
does
,
he
shall
find
that
he
does
it
to
his
cost
.
I
'll
lead
him
such
a
life
through
the
courts
,
for
the
next
two
or
three
years
,
that
he
'll
wish
that
he
had
remained
in
Chancery
Lane
,
and
had
never
left
it
.
"
A
message
was
now
brought
up
by
the
nurse
,
saying
that
Mrs.
Greenow
and
Mr.
Vavasor
were
going
into
the
room
where
the
old
Squire
was
lying
,
"
Would
Miss
Kate
and
Mr.
George
go
with
them
?
"
"
Mr.
Vavasor
!
"
shouted
out
George
,
making
the
old
woman
jump
.
She
did
not
understand
his
meaning
in
the
least
.
"
Yes
,
sir
;
the
old
Squire
,
"
she
said
.
"
Will
you
come
,
George
?
"
Kate
asked
.
"
No
;
what
should
I
go
there
for
?
Why
should
I
pretend
an
interest
in
the
dead
body
of
a
man
whom
I
hated
and
who
hated
me
;
—
whose
very
last
act
,
as
far
as
I
know
as
yet
,
was
an
attempt
to
rob
me
?
I
wo
n't
go
and
see
him
.
"
Kate
went
,
and
was
glad
of
an
opportunity
of
getting
away
from
her
brother
.
Every
hour
the
idea
was
becoming
stronger
in
her
mind
that
she
must
in
some
way
separate
herself
from
him
.
There
had
come
upon
him
of
late
a
hard
ferocity
which
made
him
unendurable
.
And
then
he
carried
to
such
a
pitch
that
hatred
,
as
he
called
it
,
of
conventional
rules
,
that
he
allowed
himself
to
be
controlled
by
none
of
the
ordinary
bonds
of
society
.
She
had
felt
this
heretofore
,
with
a
nervous
consciousness
that
she
was
doing
wrong
in
endeavouring
to
bring
about
a
marriage
between
him
and
Alice
;
but
this
demeanour
and
mode
of
talking
had
now
so
grown
upon
him
that
Kate
began
to
feel
herself
thankful
that
Alice
had
been
saved
.
Kate
went
up
with
her
uncle
and
aunt
,
and
saw
the
face
of
her
grandfather
for
the
last
time
.
"
Poor
,
dear
old
man
!
"
said
Mrs.
Greenow
,
as
the
easy
tears
ran
down
her
face
.
"
Do
you
remember
,
John
,
how
he
used
to
scold
me
,
and
say
that
I
should
never
come
to
good
.
He
has
said
the
same
thing
to
you
,
Kate
,
I
dare
say
?
"
"
He
has
been
very
kind
to
me
,
"
said
Kate
,
standing
at
the
foot
of
the
bed
.
She
was
not
one
of
those
whose
tears
stand
near
their
eyes
.
"
He
was
a
fine
old
gentleman
,
"
said
John
Vavasor
;
—
"
belonging
to
days
that
are
now
gone
by
,
but
by
no
means
the
less
of
a
gentleman
on
that
account
.
I
do
n't
know
that
he
ever
did
an
unjust
or
ungenerous
act
to
any
one
.
Come
,
Kate
,
we
may
as
well
go
down
.
"
Mrs.
Greenow
lingered
to
say
a
word
or
two
to
the
nurse
,
of
the
manner
in
which
Greenow
's
body
was
treated
when
Greenow
was
lying
dead
,
and
then
she
followed
her
brother
and
niece
.
George
did
not
go
into
Penrith
,
nor
did
he
see
Mr.
Gogram
till
that
worthy
attorney
came
out
to
Vavasor
Hall
on
the
morning
of
the
funeral
.
He
said
nothing
more
on
the
subject
,
nor
did
he
break
the
seals
on
the
old
upright
desk
that
stood
in
the
parlour
.
The
two
days
before
the
funeral
were
very
wretched
for
all
the
party
,
except
,
perhaps
,
for
Mrs.
Greenow
,
who
affected
not
to
understand
that
her
nephew
was
in
a
bad
humour
.
She
called
him
"
poor
George
,
"
and
treated
all
his
incivility
to
herself
as
though
it
were
the
effect
of
his
grief
.
She
asked
him
questions
about
Parliament
,
which
,
of
course
,
he
did
n't
answer
,
and
told
him
little
stories
about
poor
dear
Greenow
,
not
heeding
his
expressions
of
unmistakable
disgust
.
The
two
days
at
last
went
by
,
and
the
hour
of
the
funeral
came
.
There
was
the
doctor
and
Gogram
,
and
the
uncle
and
the
nephew
,
to
follow
the
corpse
,
—
the
nephew
taking
upon
himself
ostentatiously
the
foremost
place
,
as
though
he
could
thereby
help
to
maintain
his
pretensions
as
heir
.
The
clergyman
met
them
at
the
little
wicket-gate
of
the
churchyard
,
having
,
by
some
reasoning
,
which
we
hope
was
satisfactory
to
himself
,
overcome
a
resolution
which
he
at
first
formed
,
that
he
would
not
read
the
burial
service
over
an
unrepentant
sinner
.
But
he
did
read
it
,
having
mentioned
his
scruples
to
none
but
one
confidential
clerical
friend
in
the
same
diocese
.
"
I
'm
told
that
you
have
got
my
grandfather
's
will
,
"
George
said
to
the
attorney
as
soon
as
he
saw
him
.
"
I
have
it
in
my
pocket
,
"
said
Mr.
Gogram
,
"
and
purpose
to
read
it
as
soon
as
we
return
from
church
.
"
"
Is
it
usual
to
take
a
will
away
from
a
man
's
house
in
that
way
?
"
George
asked
.
"
Quite
usual
,
"
said
the
attorney
;
"
and
in
this
case
it
was
done
at
the
express
desire
of
the
testator
.
"
"
I
think
it
is
the
common
practice
,
"
said
John
Vavasor
.
George
upon
this
turned
round
at
his
uncle
as
though
about
to
attack
him
,
but
he
restrained
himself
and
said
nothing
,
though
he
showed
his
teeth
.
The
funeral
was
very
plain
,
and
not
a
word
was
spoken
by
George
Vavasor
during
the
journey
there
and
back
.
John
Vavasor
asked
a
few
questions
of
the
doctor
as
to
the
last
weeks
of
his
father
's
life
;
and
it
was
incidentally
mentioned
,
both
by
the
doctor
and
by
the
attorney
,
that
the
old
Squire
's
intellect
had
remained
unimpaired
up
to
the
last
moment
that
he
had
been
seen
by
either
of
them
.
When
they
returned
to
the
hall
Mrs.
Greenow
met
them
with
an
invitation
to
lunch
.
They
all
went
to
the
dining-room
,
and
drank
each
a
glass
of
sherry
.
George
took
two
or
three
glasses
.
The
doctor
then
withdrew
,
and
drove
himself
back
to
Penrith
,
where
he
lived
.
"
Shall
we
go
into
the
other
room
now
?
"
said
the
attorney
.
The
three
gentlemen
then
rose
up
,
and
went
across
to
the
drawing-room
,
George
leading
the
way
.
The
attorney
followed
him
,
and
John
Vavasor
closed
the
door
behind
them
.
Had
any
observer
been
there
to
watch
them
he
might
have
seen
by
the
faces
of
the
two
latter
that
they
expected
an
unpleasant
meeting
.
Mr.
Gogram
,
as
he
had
walked
across
the
hall
,
had
pulled
a
document
out
of
his
pocket
,
and
held
it
in
his
hand
as
he
took
a
chair
.
John
Vavasor
stood
behind
one
of
the
chairs
which
had
been
placed
at
the
table
,
and
leaned
upon
it
,
looking
across
the
room
,
up
at
the
ceiling
.
George
stood
on
the
rug
before
the
fire
,
with
his
hands
in
the
pockets
of
his
trousers
,
and
his
coat
tails
over
his
arms
.
"
Gentlemen
,
will
you
sit
down
?
"
said
Mr.
Gogram
.
John
Vavasor
immediately
sat
down
.
"
I
prefer
to
stand
here
,
"
said
George
.
Mr.
Gogram
then
opened
the
document
before
him
.
"
Before
that
paper
is
read
,
"
said
George
,
"
I
think
it
right
to
say
a
few
words
.
I
do
n't
know
what
it
contains
,
but
I
believe
it
to
have
been
executed
by
my
grandfather
only
an
hour
or
two
before
his
death
.
"
"
On
the
day
before
he
died
,
—
early
in
the
day
,
"
said
the
attorney
.
"
Well
,
—
the
day
before
he
died
;
it
is
the
same
thing
,
—
while
he
was
dying
,
in
fact
.
He
never
got
out
of
bed
afterwards
.
"
"
He
was
not
in
bed
at
the
time
,
Mr.
Vavasor
.
Not
that
it
would
have
mattered
if
he
had
been
.
And
he
came
down
to
dinner
on
that
day
.
I
do
n't
understand
,
however
,
why
you
make
these
observations
.
"
"
If
you
'll
listen
to
me
you
will
understand
.
I
make
them
because
I
deny
my
grandfather
's
fitness
to
make
a
will
in
the
last
moments
of
his
existence
,
and
at
such
an
age
.
I
saw
him
a
few
weeks
ago
,
and
he
was
not
fit
to
be
trusted
with
the
management
of
property
then
.
"
"
I
do
not
think
this
is
the
time
,
George
,
to
put
forward
such
objections
,
"
said
the
uncle
.
"
I
think
it
is
,
"
said
George
.
"
I
believe
that
that
paper
purports
to
be
an
instrument
by
which
I
should
be
villanously
defrauded
if
it
were
allowed
to
be
held
as
good
.
Therefore
I
protest
against
it
now
,
and
shall
question
it
at
law
if
action
be
taken
on
it
.
You
can
read
it
now
,
if
you
please
.
"
"
Oh
,
yes
,
I
shall
read
,
"
said
Mr.
Gogram
;
"
and
I
say
that
it
is
as
valid
a
will
as
ever
a
man
signed
.
"
"
And
I
say
it
's
not
.
That
's
the
difference
between
us
.
"
The
will
was
read
amidst
sundry
interjections
and
expressions
of
anger
from
George
,
which
it
is
not
necessary
to
repeat
.
Nor
need
I
trouble
my
readers
with
the
will
at
length
.
It
began
by
expressing
the
testator
's
great
desire
that
