eight children, live on eight shillings a week!"

"Oh! as for that," said Lord Marney; "they get more than that, because
there is beer-money allowed, at least to a great extent among us,
though I for one do not approve of the practice, and that makes nearly
a shilling per week additional; and then some of them have potatoe
grounds, though I am entirely opposed to that system.

"And yet," said Mr St Lys, "how they contrive to live is to me
marvellous."

"Oh! as for that," said Lord Marney, "I have generally found the higher
the wages the worse the workman. They only spend their money in the
beer-shops. They are the curse of this country."

"But what is a poor man to do," said Mr St Lys; "after his day's work if
he returns to his own roof and finds no home: his fire extinguished,
his food unprepared; the partner of his life, wearied with labour in the
field or the factory, still absent, or perhaps in bed from exhaustion,
or because she has returned wet to the skin, and has no change of
raiment for her relief. We have removed woman from her sphere; we may
have reduced wages by her introduction into the market of labour; but
under these circumstances what we call domestic life is a condition
impossible to be realized for the people of this country; and we must
not therefore be surprised that they seek solace or rather refuge in the
beer-shop."

Lord Marney looked up at Mr St Lys, with a stare of high-bred
impertinence, and then carelessly observed, without directing his
words to him, "They may say what they like, but it is all an affair of
population."

"I would rather believe that it is an affair of resources," said Mr St
Lys; "not what is the amount of our population, but what is the amount
of our resources for their maintenance.

"It comes to the same thing," said Lord Marney. "Nothing can put this
country right but emigration on a great scale; and as the government do
not choose to undertake it, I have commenced it for my own defence on a
small scale. I will take care that the population of my parishes is not
increased. I build no cottages and I destroy all I can; and I am not
ashamed or afraid to say so."

"You have declared war to the cottage, then," said Mr St Lys, smiling.
"It is not at the first sound so startling a cry as war to the castle."

"But you think it may lead to it?" said Lord Mowbray.

"I love not to be a prophet of evil," said Mr St Lys.

Lord Marney rose from his seat and addressed Lady F