ld be sorry to be a tax upon you,
at your age: you require many comforts and luxuries, and I presume that
you live up to your income."

"Then, my dear fellow, you are under a great mistake. I can lay down
one hundred thousand pounds on the day of your marriage, with any lady
whom I approve of, and still not spend half my remaining income."

"That, sir," replied I, "certainly removes one difficulty, at the same
time that it proves what a generous and indulgent father I am blessed
with; but, sir, with such a fortune, I have a right to expect that the
lady will also bring a handsome addition. Miss de Clare is engaged, I
believe, to Mr Harcourt, or I might have made strong interest in that
quarter."

"Something, my dear boy; but a moderate fortune now-a-days is all that
we expect with wives, and the best wives are those who are not born to
too much wealth; still she should bring something; but tell me, Japhet,
who is that young lady whom you thought handsomer than Miss de Clare?"

"A Miss Temple, sir."

"Temple--it is a very good name. I think girls brought up in the
country make the best wives."

"They do, sir, most certainly: they are more domestic, and make their
husbands more content and happy at home."

"Well, my dear boy, I have mentioned the subject, and wish you would
think of it. You will please me much."

"My dear father, I shall be most happy to obey in everything else, but
in so serious a point as uniting myself for life, I think you must allow
that a little discretionary power should be given to a son. All I can
say is this, show me a young person who is eligible, and if I find that
I can love her, I will not refuse to obey your wishes."

"Well, sir, do as you please," replied my father very angrily; "but I
think, sir, when I desire you to fall in love, it is your duty to obey."

"Suppose I was to fall in love with a person you did not like, would you
allow me to marry her?"

"Most certainly not, sir."

"Then, sir, is it reasonable to expect me to marry without being in
love?"

"I did not marry for love, sir."

"No," replied I, forgetting myself a little; "and a pretty mess you made
of it."

"I did," rejoined my father in a rage, "by begetting an undutiful,
good-for-nothing, graceless, insolent, ungrateful son."

"My dear father, I was not aware that I had a brother."

"I mean you, sir."

"To prove to you how unjust you are, sir, and how little I deserve what
you have called me, I n