before
he seated himself in his usual place by the writing-table.

"Shall I light your candles, father?"

"Yes--one will do."

And, while Cardo busied himself with the candle and matches, and drew
down the blinds, his father fumbled amongst his papers and coughed
awkwardly.

"Sit down, Cardo. I have something to say to you which I have been
wanting to say for some time, and which I hope will give you pleasure."

Cardo said nothing, his attention being rivetted upon his father's
countenance; the marble face seemed whiter than usual, the deep shadows
round the eyes darker and--was it fancy?--or were the lips whiter?

"What is it, father?" said Cardo, at last pitying the old man's evident
nervousness; "no bad news, I hope?"

"Bad news!" said the Vicar, with a forced smile, which disclosed a row
of large and rather yellow teeth. "Didn't I say I hoped it would
please you?"

"Yes, I forgot, sir."

"Well, it is this: you live a very quiet, monotonous life here, and
though it has many advantages, perhaps to a young man it would also
appear to have many drawbacks. You have lately had Mr. Gwynne Ellis's
company, which I am glad to see you have thoroughly appreciated. I
should have been annoyed, had it been otherwise, considering that it
was not without some change of my usual domestic ways that I was able
to arrange this little matter for you. I own I should not like you to
imbibe all his ideas, which I consider very loose and unconstitutional;
but on the whole, I have liked the young man, and shall be sorry when
he leaves, more particularly as he pays well."

Cardo winced. "I am very happy working on the farm, and if I have
appeared discontented, my looks have belied me."

"No, no," said his father, tapping with his finger on the open page
before him. "No! you seem to have a fund of animal spirits; but I am
quite aware that your life is uneventful and dull, and I think a young
man of your er--er--" (he was going to say "prospects," but thought
that would not be politic), "well, a young man of your position should
see a little of the world."

"My position is that of a farmer, sir, and few farmers can afford to
travel about and see the world."

"Certainly not, certainly not; and for heaven's sake don't run away
with the idea that I can afford it any better than other poor vicars or
farmers; but knowing that you have a 100 pounds a year of your own,
Cardo, which, by the by, you never spend much of, and whic