, that there is a great deal
of false feeling about this matter of money in marriage,--or rather,
perhaps, a great deal of pretended feeling. Why should I be angry
with a man for wishing to get that for which every man is struggling?
At this point of George's career the use of money is essential to
him. He could not marry without it."

"You had better then give him your money without yourself," said her
father, speaking in irony.

"That is just what I mean to do, papa," said Alice.

"What!" said Mr Vavasor, jumping up from his seat. "You mean to give
him your money before you marry him?"

"Certainly I do;--if he should want it;--or, I should rather say, as
much as he may want of it."

"Heavens and earth!" exclaimed Mr Vavasor. "Alice, you must be mad."

"To part with my money to my friend?" said she. "It is a kind of
madness of which I need not at any rate be ashamed."

"Tell me this, Alice; has he got any of it as yet?"

"Not a shilling. Papa, pray do not look at me like that. If I had no
thought of marrying him you would not call me mad because I lent to
my cousin what money he might need."

"I should only say that so much of your fortune was thrown away, and
if it were not much that would be an end of it. I would sooner see
you surrender to him the half of all you have, without any engagement
to marry him, than know that he had received a shilling from you
under such a promise."

"You are prejudiced against him, sir."

"Was it prejudice that made you reject him once before? Did you
condemn him then through prejudice? Had you not ascertained that he
was altogether unworthy of you?"

"We were both younger, then," said Alice, speaking very softly, but
very seriously. "We were both much younger then, and looked at life
with other eyes than those which we now use. For myself I expected
much then, which I now seem hardly to regard at all; and as for him,
he was then attached to pleasures to which I believe he has now
learned to be indifferent."

"Psha!" ejaculated the father.

"I can only speak as I believe," continued Alice. "And I think I may
perhaps know more of his manner of life than you do, papa. But I am
prepared to run risks now which I feared before. Even though he were
all that you think him to be, I would still endeavour to do my duty
to him, and to bring him to other things."

"What is it you expect to get by marrying him?" asked Mr Vavasor.

"A husband whose mode of thinking is congenial t