enclosed in a ring-fence.'

"`And a beautiful property it will be,' replied Mr Ponsonby.

"`Which, uncle? The estate or the wife?'

"`Both, nephew, both; and I expect your consent.'

"`Uncle, I am not avaricious. Your present property is sufficient for
me. With your permission, instead of doubling the property, and
doubling myself, I will remain your sole heir, and single.'

"`Observe, William, such an opportunity may not occur again for
centuries. We shall restore Forest Wild to its ancient boundaries. You
know it has been divided nearly two hundred years. We now have a
glorious, golden opportunity of re-uniting the two properties; and when
joined, the estate will be exactly what it was when granted to our
ancestors by Henry the Eighth, at the period of the Reformation. This
house must be pulled down, and the monastery left standing. Then we
shall have our own again, and the property without encumbrance.'

"`Without encumbrance, uncle! You forget that, there will be a wife.'

"`And you forget that there will be five thousand acres in a
ring-fence.'

"`Indeed, uncle, you ring it too often in my ears that I should forget
it. But, much as I should like to be the happy possessor of such a
property, I do not feel inclined to be the happy possessor of Miss
Percival; and the more so, as I have never seen the property.'

"`We will ride over it to-morrow, William.'

"`Ride over Miss Percival, uncle! That will not be very gallant. I
will, however, one of these days ride over the property with you, which,
as well as Miss Percival, I have not as yet seen.'

"`Then I can tell you she is a very pretty property.'

"`If she were not in a ring-fence.'

"`In good heart, William. That is, I mean an excellent disposition.'

"`Valuable in matrimony.'

"`And well tilled--I should say well educated--by her three maiden
aunts, who are the patterns of propriety.'

"`Does any one follow the fashion?'

"`In a high state of cultivation; that is, her mind highly cultivated,
and according to the last new system--what is it?'

"`A four-course shift, I presume,' replied William, laughing; `that is,
dancing, singing, music, and drawing.'

"`And only seventeen! Capital soil, promising good crops. What would
you have more?'

"`A very pretty estate, uncle, if it were not the estate of matrimony.
I am sorry, very sorry, to disappoint you; but I must decline taking a
lease of it for life.'

"`Then, sir, allow me to