his
debts,--they, Sir Miles, will receive his daughter."

"By no means!" cried Sir Miles, quickly; then, recovering himself, he
added, "or, if you think that advisable, of course all interference on
my part is withdrawn."

"Festina lente!--not so quick, Sir Miles. I do not yet say that it
is advisable,--not because they are silk-mercers, the which, I humbly
conceive, is no sin to exclude them from gratitude for their proffered
kindness, but because Susan, poor child, having been brought up in
different habits, may feel a little strange, at least at first, with--"

"Strange, yes; I should hope so!" interrupted Sir Miles, taking snuff
with much energy. "And, by the way, I am thinking that it would be well
if you and Mrs. Fielden--you are married, sir? That is right; clergymen
all marry!--if you and Mrs. Fielden would take charge of her yourselves,
it would be a great comfort to me to think her so well placed. We
differ, sir, but I respect you. Think of this. Well, then, the doctor
has left no relations that I can aid in any way?"

"Strange man!" muttered Fielden. "Yes; I must not let one poor youth
lose the opportunity offered by your--your--"

"Never mind what; proceed. One poor youth,--in the shop, of course?"

"No; and by his father's side (since you so esteem such vanities) of an
ancient family,--a sister of Dr. Mivers married Captain Ardworth."

"Ardworth,--a goodish name; Ardworth of Yorkshire?"

"Yes, of that family. It was, of course, an imprudent marriage,
contracted while he was only an ensign. His family did not reject him,
Sir Miles."

"Sir, Ardworth is a good squire's family, but the name is Saxon; there
is no difference in race between the head of the Ardworths, if he were
a duke, and my gardener, John Hodge,--Saxon and Saxon, both. His family
did not reject him; go on."

"But he was a younger son in a large family; both himself and his wife
have known all the distresses common, they tell me, to the poverty of
a soldier who has no resource but his pay. They have a son. Dr. Mivers,
though so poor himself, took this boy, for he loved his sister dearly,
and meant to bring him up to his own profession. Death frustrated this
intention. The boy is high-spirited and deserving."

"Let his education be completed; send him to the University; and I will
see that he is put into some career of which his father's family would
approve. You need not mention to any one my intentions in this respect,
not even to