."

"I am glad your mother is not by to hear you. You will think differently
one of these days. Meanwhile, to turn to the other sex, is there no
young man of your own rank with whom you would like to travel?"

"Certainly not. I hate quarrelling."

"As you please. But you cannot go quite alone: I will find you a good
travelling-servant. I must write to town to-day about your preparations,
and in another week or so I hope all will be ready. Your allowance will
be whatever you like to fix it at; you have never been extravagant,
and--boy--I love you. Amuse yourself, enjoy yourself, and come back
cured of your oddities, but preserving your honour."

Sir Peter bent down and kissed his son's brow. Kenelm was moved; he
rose, put his arm round his father's shoulder, and lovingly said, in
an undertone, "If ever I am tempted to do a base thing, may I remember
whose son I am: I shall be safe then." He withdrew his arm as he said
this, and took his solitary way along the banks of the stream, forgetful
of rod and line.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE young man continued to skirt the side of the stream until he reached
the boundary pale of the park. Here, placed on a rough grass mound,
some former proprietor, of a social temperament, had built a kind of
belvidere, so as to command a cheerful view of the high road below.
Mechanically the heir of the Chillinglys ascended the mound, seated
himself within the belvidere, and leaned his chin on his hand in a
thoughtful attitude. It was rarely that the building was honoured by a
human visitor: its habitual occupants were spiders. Of those industrious
insects it was a well-populated colony. Their webs, darkened with
dust and ornamented with the wings and legs and skeletons of many an
unfortunate traveller, clung thick to angle and window-sill, festooned
the rickety table on which the young man leaned his elbow, and described
geometrical circles and rhomboids between the gaping rails that formed
the backs of venerable chairs. One large black spider--who was probably
the oldest inhabitant, and held possession of the best place by the
window, ready to offer perfidious welcome to every winged itinerant
who might be tempted to turn aside from the high road for the sake of
a little cool and repose--rushed from its innermost penetralia at the
entrance of Kenelm, and remained motionless in the centre of its meshes,
staring at him. It did not seem quite sure whether the stranger was too
big or not.

"