m with hunting and
shooting and fishing, when hunting and shooting and fishing were the
great joys of his life. It was incumbent on him to go to Babington,---
probably would be incumbent on him to pay a prolonged visit there. But
he certainly would not marry Julia. As to that his mind was so fixed
that even though he should have to declare his purpose with some
rudeness, still he would declare it. 'My aunt wants me to go over to
Babington,' he said to his father.

'Of course she does.'

'And I must go?'

'You know best what your own feelings are as to that. After you went,
they made all manner of absurd accusations against me. But I don't wish
to force a quarrel upon you on that account.'

'I should be sorry to quarrel with them, because they were kind to me
when I was a boy. They are not very wise.'

'I don't think I ever knew such a houseful of fools.' There was no
relationship by blood between the Squire of Folking and the Squire of
Babington; but they had married two sisters, and therefore Mrs.
Babington was Aunt Polly to John Caldigate.

'But fools may be very worthy, sir. I should say that a great many
people are fools to you.'

'Not to me especially,' said the squire, almost angrily.

'People who read no books are always fools to those who do read.'

'I deny it. Our neighbour over the water'--the middle wash was always
called the water at Folking--'never looks at a book, as far as I know,
and he is not a fool. He thoroughly understands his own business But
your uncle Babington doesn't know how to manage his own property,--and
yet he knows nothing else. That's what I call being a fool.'

'Now, I'm going to tell you a secret, sir.'

'A secret!'

'You must promise to keep it.'

'Of course I will keep it, if it ought to be kept.'

'They want me to marry Julia.'

'What!'

'My cousin Julia. It's an old affair. Perhaps it was not Davis only that
made me run away five years ago.'

'Do you mean they asked you;--or did you ask her?'

'Well; I did not ask her. I do not know that I can be more explicit.
Nevertheless it is expected; and as I do not mean to do it, you can see
that there is a difficulty.'

'I would not go near the place, John.'

'I must.'

'Then you'll have to marry her.'

'I won't.'

'Then there'll be a quarrel.'

'It may be so, but I will avoid it if possible. I must go. I could not
stay away without laying myself open to a charge of ingratitude. They
were very kind to me in