ng back his head with one of the cheery bursts of laughter which
brought his mother's eyes upon him with a flash of adoring pride. "Now
there's none of that overweening ambition about me. I could bear up if
I never saw an improving book again. What _I_ would like would be for
some benevolent old millionaire to take a fancy to me, and adopt me as
his heir. I feel cut out to be a country gentleman, and march about in
gaiters and knickerbockers, looking after the property, don't you know,
and interviewing my tenants. I'd be strict with them, but kind at the
same time; look into all their grievances, and put them right whenever I
could. I'd make it a model place before I'd done with it, and all the
people would adore me. That's my ambition, and a very good one it is
too; I defy anyone to have a better."

"I should like to marry a very rich man with a big moustache, and a
beautiful house in London with a fireplace in the hall," cried Mellicent
fervently. "I should have carriages and horses, and a diamond necklace
and three children: Valentine Roy--that should be the boy--and
Hildegarde and Ermyntrude, the girls, and they should have golden hair
like Rosalind, and blue eyes, and never wear anything but white, and big
silk sashes. I'd have a housekeeper to look after the dinners and
things, and a governess for the children, and never do anything myself
except give orders and go out to parties. I'd be the happiest woman
that ever lived."

Lazy Oswald smiled in complacent fashion.

"And the fattest! Dearie me, wouldn't you be a tub! I don't know that
I have any special ambition. I mean to get my degree if I can, and then
persuade the governor to send me a tour round the world. I like moving
about, and change and excitement, and travelling is good fun if you
avoid the fag, and provide yourself with introductions to the right
people. I know a fellow who went off for a year, and had no end of a
time; people put him up at their houses, and got up balls and dinners
for his benefit, and he never had to rough it a bit. I could put in a
year or two in that way uncommonly well."

Rob had been wriggling on his chair and scowling in his wild-bear
fashion all the while Oswald was speaking, and at the conclusion he
relieved his feelings by kicking out recklessly beneath the table, with
the result that Peggy sat up suddenly with a "My foot, my friend! Curb
your enthusiasm!" which made him laugh, despite his annoyance.

"