mettle. Young
Mr. Neville was no doubt a sportsman. And the old groom had been warned
that hunters might be wanted in the stables next winter. Mrs. Bunce
was made to understand that liberties would probably be taken with the
house, such as had not yet been perpetrated in her time;--for the late
heir had never made the Manor his home from the time of his leaving
school. It was felt by all that great changes were to be effected,--and
it was felt also that the young man on whose behalf all this was to be
permitted, could not but be elated by his position. Of such elation,
however, there were not many signs. To his uncle, Fred Neville was, as
has been said, modest and submissive; to his aunt he was gentle but not
submissive. The rest of the household he treated civilly, but with none
of that awe which was perhaps expected from him. As for shooting, he
had come direct from his friend Carnaby's moor. Carnaby had forest
as well as moor, and Fred thought but little of partridges,--little
of such old-fashioned partridge-shooting as was prepared for him at
Scroope,--after grouse and deer. As for hunting in Dorsetshire, if his
uncle wished it,--why in that case he would think of it. According to
his ideas, Dorsetshire was not the best county in England for hunting.
Last year his regiment had been at Bristol and he had ridden with the
Duke's hounds. This winter he was to be stationed in Ireland, and he had
an idea that Irish hunting was good. If he found that his uncle made
a point of it, he would bring his horses to Scroope for a month at
Christmas. Thus he spoke to the head groom,--and thus he spoke also to
his aunt, who felt some surprise when he talked of Scotland and his
horses. She had thought that only men of large fortunes shot deer and
kept studs,--and perhaps conceived that the officers of the 20th Hussars
were generally engaged in looking after the affairs of their regiment,
and in preparation for meeting the enemy.

Fred now remained a month at Scroope, and during that time there was but
little personal intercourse between him and his uncle in spite of the
affectionate greeting with which their acquaintance had been commenced.
The old man's habits of life were so confirmed that he could not bring
himself to alter them. Throughout the entire morning he would sit in
his own room alone. He would then be visited by his steward, his groom,
and his butler;--and would think that he gave his orders, submitting,
however, in almo